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A  HISTORY 


OF  THE 


BAPTISTS  IN  NEW  ENGLAND 


HENRY  S.  "bURRAGE,  D.  D. 

Author  of  "A  History  of  the  Anabaptists  of  Switzerland P  "Baptist 
Hymn  Writers  and  their  Hymns"  etc. 


"  Different  statements  of  truth,  different  forms  of  worship,  an  altered  outward 
life  there  may  be  ;  but  the  spiritual  affections,  the  sense  of  duty,  the  charity,  the 
penitent  trust,  the  divine  desire,  the  hatred  of  wrong,  the  faith  in  the  unseen, 
which  constitute  true  religion,  belong  to  all  generations." 

S.  L.  Caldwell,  D.  D. 


PHILADELPHIA 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 

1420  Chestnut  Street 

1894 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1894,  by  the 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 

In  the  OiBce  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


TO 
E.  M.  B., 

WHOSE  ASSISTANCE  IN  MANY  WAYS  I  GRATEFULLY 
ACKNOWLEDGE. 


CONTENTS. 


I.  KoGER  Williams  and  the  Early  Baptists  of 

Khode  Island,      9 

31 
51 
69 
80 
104 
134 


II.  The  Early  Baptists  of  Massachusetts,  , 

III.  Baptists  of  Other  New  England  States, 

IV.  Brown  University— Educational  Work, 
V.  Associational  Kelations, 

VI.  The  Contest  for  Eeligious  Liberty,  .    . 
VII.  Organized  Missionary  Operations,      .    . 
VIII.  New  England  Baptists  and  Foreign  Missions,    150 
IX.  The  Development  of  Educational  Work,      .    170 
X.  Progress  of  the  Denomination  in  New  Eng- 
land Since  1800.    (Maine,  New  Hampshire, 

AND  Vermont), 196 

XL  Progress  of  the  Denomination  in  New  Eng- 
land Since  1800.     (Massachusetts,  Khodb 

Island,  and  Connecticut),       216 

XII.  The  Sunday-school  Movement, 241 

XIII.  The    Baptist  Women  of    New  England  and 

Christian  Missions, 265 

XIV.  Some  Waymarks    in   New   England    Baptist 

History, 281 

XV.  The  Present  Condition  and  Outlook,    ...    297 


PREFACE. 


The  plan  of  this  history  was  adopted  in  order  that  I  might 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  task  assigned  me.  Regretfully 
I  have  been  compelled,  for  lack  of  space,  to  omit  much  that 
ought  to  find  a  place  in  a  history  of  the  Baptists  of  New  Eng- 
land. Yet  I  trust  it  will  be  found  that,  even  in  this  brief 
review  of  a  long  and  eventful  period,  the  prominent  facts  have 
been  clearly  and  faithfully  presented. 

Concerning  the  earlier  history  of  the  Baptists  of  New  Eng- 
land, Rev.  Isaac  Backus'  "History  of  New  England  with 
Particular  Reference  to  the  Denomination  of  Christians 
called  Baptists,"  published  a  hundred  years  ago,  has  been 
to  me,  as  to  others,  a  treasure  house  of  interesting  and  trust- 
worthy facts.  For  his  painstaking  investigations,  as  well  as 
for  his  personal  worth  and  services,  Mr.  Backus  should  for- 
ever be  held  in  honor  by  the  Baptists  of  New  England.  Dr. 
David  Benedict,  in  his  "General  History  of  the  Baptist 
Denomination  in  America,"  published  in  1813,  devoted 
attention  to  a  wider  field  than  the  Middleboro  pastor,  and 
so  far  as  New  England  is  concerned  added  little  to  what  Mr. 
Backus  had  already  done.  Valuable  material  for  the  earlier 
period  1  have  also  derived  from  Dr.  R.  A.  Guild's  "  Chaplain 
Smith  and  the  Bapti.sts,"  with  its  numerous  extracts  from  the 
diary  of  Rev.  Hezekiah  Smith  of  Haverhill,  Mass. ,  published 
by  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  in  1885  ;  also 
from  the  "Diary  of  John  Comer,"  published  by  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society  in  1893.  The  Minutes  of  the 
6 


PREFACE.  7 

Warren  Association  I  have  carefully  examined  ;  also  such  of 
the  Minutes  of  the  other  earlier  Associations  as  are  now  accessi- 
ble, together  with  the  Minutes  of  the  various  State  Conven- 
tions, in  which  so  much  of  the  history  of  the  Baptists  of  New 
England  since  1825  has  been  recorded.  Nor  have  I  over- 
looked the  "Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine," 
1803-1817,  and  the  "Maine  Baptist  Missionary  Register," 
1806-1808.  These  beginnings  of  our  missionary  literature 
are  a  repository  of  facts  concerning  New  England  Baptist 
churches  in  the  early  part  of  the  century,  and  especially 
concerning  their  missionary  activity.  Centennial  and  semi- 
centennial discourses,  histories  of  churches,  biographical 
sketches,  etc.,  etc.,  have  also  furnished  me  with  valuable 
material.  With  reference  to  the  contest  for  religious  liberty, 
I  am  indebted  to  Buck's  "Ecclesiastical  Law,"  the  Proceed- 
ings of  the  Massachusetts  Constitutional  Conventions  of  1779 
and  1820,  and  especially  to  Dr.  Alvah  Hovey's  "Life  and 
Times  of  Isaac  Backus,"  one  of  Dr.  Hovey's  many  valuable 
services  to  the  Baptists  of  New  England  during  his  long 
connection  with  the  Newton  Theological  Institution. 

Concerning  Brown  University  I  have  found  helpful  Dr.  R. 
A.  Guild's  "  Manning  and  Brown  University,"  also  President 
Barnas  Sears'  "Centennial  Discourse  at  the  Centennial  of 
Brown  University,  September  6,  1864."  For  a  sketch  of 
Colby  University  I  am  indebted  to  President  Champliii's 
Semi-Centennial  Discourse.  With  reference  to  Newton  Theo- 
logical Institution,  I  have  examined  the  historical  materials 
published  from  time  to  time  by  the  institution,  and  especially 
have  I  been  aided  by  a  recent  paper  concerning  the  institu- 
tion contributed  by  President  Hovey  to  the  "History  of 
Middlesex  County,  Massachusetts." 

For  facts  concerning  the  relation  of  the  New  England 
Baptist  churches  to  foreign  and  home  missions,  I  have 
received  help  from  the  Jubilee  volumes  of  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union  and  the  American  Baptist  Home 


8  PREFACE. 

Mission  Society.  I  have  also  found  helpful,  "Baptists 
and  the  National  Centenary,"  published  by  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society  in  1876.  For  an  admirable 
statement  of  the  facts  concerning  the  work  of  the 
Baptist  women  of  New  England  in  foreign  missions,  I  am 
greatly  indebted  to  a  "Historical  Sketch  of  the  Woman's 
Foreign  Missionary  Society"  by  Frances  Stoughton  Bailey, 
.published  by  the  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  in 
1891.  A  like  valuable  service  concerning  the  work  of  New 
England  Baptist  women  in  home  missions  was  rendered  for 
me  by  Mrs.  James  McWhinnie,  of  the  Woman's  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society. 

I  desire  also  to  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  Rev. 
William  Hurlin  of  Antrim,  N.  H.  ;  Rev.  C.  H.  Spalding 
of  Boston,  JMass.  ;  Rev.  Henry  Crocker  of  Fairfax,  Vt.  ; 
Rev.  A.  McGeorge  of  Brattleboro,  Vt.  ;  Rev.  R.  C.  Mills, 
D.  D. ,  of  Newton  Centre,  Mass.  ;  Rev.  P.  S.  Evans  of  New 
Haven,  Conn.  ;  Rev.  Henry  M.  King,  D.  D.,  of  Providence, 
R.  I.  ;  R.  A.  Guild,  LL.  D.,  of  Providence,  R.  I.;  Dr. 
George  B.  Peck  of  Providence,  R.  I.  ;  Rev.  T.  J.  Morgan, 
D.  D.,  of  New  York  ;  Rev.  E.  F.  Merriam  of  Boston,  Mass.  ; 
and  Dea.  W.  H.  Roundy  of  Boston,  Mass. 

My  acknowledgments  also  are  due  to  the  library  of  Colby 
University,  the  General  Theological  Library,  Boston,  the 
library  of  the  Maine  Historical  Society,  Portland,  and  espe- 
cially to  the  library  of  the  Backus  Historical  Society,  Newton 
Theological  Institution,  for  the  use  of  its  valuable  collection 
of  Minutes. 

Henry  S.  Burrage. 

PoRTLAKD,  Me.,  June,  1894. 


HISTORY  OF  BAPTISTS  IN  NEW  ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ROGER    WILLIAMS    AND    THE    EARLY    BAPTISTS    OF 
RHODE   ISLAND. 

THE  Pophara  colonists  established  themselves  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec  River,  in  what  is  now 
the  State  of  Maine,  in  August,  1607.  Sir  John  Pop- 
hara, from  whom  the  colony  received  its  name,  was 
chief  justice  of  England.  With  him  were  associated 
Sir  John  Gilbert  and  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges. 
Doubtless  they  sought  to  enlarge  their  own  fortunes 
by  this  colonial  enterprise ;  but  they  were  loyal  to  the 
interests  of  the  crown,  and  saw  in  the  anticipated 
success  of  the  colony  the  greater  glory  of  England 
by  the  consequent  increase  of  her  dominion  and 
her  commerce.  Unfortunately,  the  colonists  were  not 
of  the  best.  They  had  not  the  strength  of  character 
that  belongs  to  the  founders  of  States.  They  were 
here  simply  because  they  were  sent.  Furthermore, 
Sir  John  Popham  died  June  10,  1607,  shortly  after 
the  colonists  sailed.  The  president  of  the  colony, 
George  Popham,  a  nephew  of  the  chief  justice,  died 

9 


10      HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

in  the  winter  following  the  landing.  Also,  dur- 
ing the  following  summer,  Sir  John  Gilbert  died, 
and  on  receiving  this  intelligence,  Raleigh  Gilbert, 
who  on  the  death  of  George  Popham  became 
president  of  the  colony,  found  it  necessary  to  re- 
turn to  England  as  the  heir  to  his  brother's  inheri- 
tnnce.  A  part  of  the  colonists  had  returned  to  Eng- 
land in  the  preceding  December,  and  as  there  was 
now  no  one  capable  of  taking  charge  of  the  interests 
of  the  colony,  Fort  St.  George,  which  they  had 
erected,  was  dismantled,  and  the  remnant  returned  to 
England  with  Gilbert  in  the  autumn  of  1608. 

The  utter  abandonment  of  an  enterprise  at  one 
period  so  full  of  promise,  was  a  severe  blow  to  Gorges 
and  other  patrons  of  colonization  in  New  England ; 
and  no  further  attempt  by  Englishmen  was  made  to 
secure  a  foothold  in  the  new  world  until  the  Pilgrims, 
better  men  with  better  hopes,  settled  at  Plymouth,  in 
1620.  The  Pilgrims  were  Separatists,  and  are  to  be 
sharply  distinguished  from  the  Puritans,  who  after- 
ward establislied  the  settlements  of  Massachusetts 
Bay.  Coming  from  Holland,  whither  they  had  fled 
on  account  of  persecution,  the  Pilgrims  brought  with 
them  to  our  shores  "  hearts  full  of  charity,  kindliness, 
and  toleration ;  their  minds  broadened  by  experience 
in  a  land  where  religion  was  free  to  all  men."  They 
did  not  remain  in  Holland,  because  they  were  not  at 
home  there.  They  desired  for  themselves  and  for 
their  children  entirely  different  surroundings  ;  and  so 


THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OP   RHODE   ISLAND.       11 

they  left  Leyden,  where  for  some  time  they  had  lived 
in  exile,  crossed  a  stormy  sea,  and  established  them- 
selves at  Plymouth,  "  the  forerunners  of  an  innumer- 
able host.''  The  Puritans,  on  the  other  hand,  were 
not  separatists  from  the  Church  of  England.  They 
were  not  in  harmony  with  it,  however ;  and  with  the 
purpose  to  secure  ecclesiastical  changes  which  they 
could  not  obtain  in  England,  they  too  turned  toward 
the  new  world.  A  party  of  Puritan  colonists  settled 
at  Cape  Ann,  in  1624.  In  the  following  year,  they 
began  a  settlement  at  Salem.  John  Endicott  joined 
them  in  1628.  In  1629,  Hev.  Francis  Higginson 
and  Rev.  Samuel  Skelton,  two  Puritan  ministers, 
came  with  other  colonists  and  organized  a  church  at 
Salem.  On  leaving  England  the  former  is  reported 
by  Cotton  Mather  to  have  said  :  "  We  will  not  say, 
as  the  Separatists  were  wont  to  say  at  their  leaving  of 
England :  Farewell,  Babylon  !  Farewell,  Rome ! 
But  we  will  say.  Farewell,  dear  England  !  Farewell, 
the  church  of  God  in  England,  and  all  the  Christian 
friends  there.  We  do  not  go  to  New  England  as 
separatists  from  the  Church  of  England ;  though  we 
cannot  but  separate  from  the  corruptions  in  it.  But 
we  go  to  practise  the  positive  part  of  church  reforma- 
tion ;  and  propagate  the  gospel  in  America."  ^ 

How  this  was  to  be  done  was  very  soon  apparent. 
John  Brown  and  Samuel  Brown,  "  men  of  estates  and 
men  of  parts,"  attempted  to  introduce  the  worship  of 

1  "Magiialia,"  Lib.  III.,  §  1,  p.  12. 


12      HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS   IN   MEW   ENGLAND. 

the  Church  of  England  at  Salem ;  and  when  sum- 
moned before  Gov.  Endieott  because  of  this  innova- 
tion, they  "accused  the  ministers  as  departing  from 
the  order  of  the  Church  of  England ;  that  they  were 
Separatists,  and  would-be  Anabaptists,  etc.,  but  for 
themselves  they  would  hold  to  the  orders  of  the 
Church  of  England."  The  governor  and  council 
were  unwilling  to  tolerate  such  views.  They  tended, 
they  said,  to  "  mutiny  and  faction."  The  Browns 
accordingly  were  told  that  New  England  was  no 
place  for  them,  and  they  were  compelled  to  return  to 
England  in  the  ship  that  brought  them  over.  Relig- 
ious freedom  was  not  a  part  of  the  Puritans'  polity. 
They  wanted  for  themselves  what  they  were  not 
ready  to  grant  to  others. 

The  Puritan  exodus  from  England  continued. 
John  Winthrop  came  over  in  1630,  with  about  fifteen 
hundred  colonists,  who  settled  at  Charlestown, 
Boston,  Dorchester,  and  Watertown.  Between  1630 
and  1640,  at  least  twenty  thousand  Englishmen  were 
transferred  from  the  mother  country  to  Massachusetts 
Bay.  Neal  says  that  if  the  civil  power  had  not 
interfered  to  check  emigration,  one-fourth  of  thfj 
property  of  the  British  kingdom  would  have  bee  i 
transferred  to  America.  It  is  said  that  among  tlie 
passengers  who  were  either  prevented  from  embark- 
ing or  compelled  to  disembark  by  an  order  to  "  stay 
eight  ships  now  in  the  River  Thames  prepared  to  go 
to  New  England,"  was  Oliver  Cromwell.     Old  Eng- 


THE   EAELY   BAPTISTS   OP   RHODE   ISLAND.       13 

land,  not  New  England,  was  to  be  the  field  of  his 
splendid  achievements/ 

There  were  many  men,  however,  well  fitted  to  be 
the  founders  of  States,  who  succeeded  in  making  their 
way  to  these  western  shores.  On  the  ship  Lyon, 
which  arrived  at  Boston,  February  5,  1631,  was 
Roger  Williams.  A  native  of  London,  as  has 
recently  been  ascertained,^  and  at  this  time  about 
thirty  years  of  age,  he  had  had  the  advantage  of  a 
liberal  education.  When  he  was  a  youth.  Sir  Edward 
Coke,  discovering  his  promise,  esteemed  him  so 
highly  that  he  sent  him  to  Sutton's  Hospital,  after- 
ward known  as  the  Charter  House.  Here  he  was 
elected  a  scholar  June  25,  1621.  After  the  comple- 
tion of  his  preparatory  studies  in  London,  July  7, 
1625,  he  became  a  pensioner  of  Pembroke  College, 
Cambridge,  where  in  January,  1626,  he  took  his 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.     It  is  said  that  after 

1  This  statement  is  made  by  Mather,  "Magnalia,"  Lib.  I.,  ?  7, 
p.  23,  1st  ed.,  1702.  "Among  those  bound  for  New  Enghind,  that 
were  so  stopt,  there  were  especially  three  famous  persons,  whom 
I  suppose  their  adversaries  would  not  have  so  studiously  detained 
at  home  if  they  had  foreseen  events;  these  were  Oliver  Cromwell, 
and  Mr.  Hambden  and  Sir  Arthur  Haselrig."  Oldmixon,  Neal, 
Hutchinson,  Grahame,  Hume,  Hallam,  Eussell,  Macaulay,  and 
others  make  the  statement  with  modifications.  On  the  other  hand, 
Aiken,  Forster,  Bancroft,  Young,  and  others  deny  or  doubt  It. 
Seethe  "  New  England  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register" 
for  April,  1866,  pp.  113-120. 

^  This  is  a  discovery  of  Mr.  Henry  F.  Waters.  See  the  "  New 
England  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register,"  July,  1889,  p. 
291,  seq. 


14      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

leaving  the  university  he  entered  upon  the  study  of 
law,  but  he  soon  abandoned  his  legal  studies,  and 
devoted  himself  to  theology.  He  was  admitted  to 
orders  in  the  Church  of  England,  and  it  is  believed 
that  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  a  parish.  In  1629, 
his  residence  was  at  High  Laver  in  Essex,  not  more 
than  a  dozen  miles  from  Chelmsford,  where  Rev. 
Thomas  Hooker  preached.  In  his  "  Bloudy  Tenent 
yet  more  Bloudy,"  he  says,  "  Master  Cotton  may  call 
to  mind  that  the  discusser,  riding  with  himself  and 
one  other  of  precious  memory.  Master  Hooker,  to  and 
from  Sempringham,  presented  his  arguments  from 
Scripture,  why  he  durst  not  join  with  them  in  their 
use  of  common  prayer."  ^  This  was  John  Cotton,  the 
celebrated  Boston  minister  of  a  later  day  ;  and  the 
statement  shows  that  Williams  was  already  out  of 
harmony  with  the  Established  Church.  This,  also, 
at  once  appeared  on  his  arrival  in  New  England. 
He  was  recognized  as  a  "  godly  minister,"  and  his 
learning  and  piety  were  such  that  he  was  invited  to 
settle  in  Boston.  He  declined  the  invitation,  because, 
as  he  said,^  he  "  durst  not  officiate  to  an  unseparated 
people,"  as  upon  examination  and  conference  he  found 
them  to  be.  The  church  in  Salem  then  called  him, 
as  the  successor  of  Mr.  Higginson,  who  on  account 
of  feeble  health  was  compelled  to  retire  from  active 
service.     The  Salem  Church  was  the  oldest  church  in 

1  "Pub.  Narr.  Club,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  65. 

2  Letter  to  Eev.  John  Cotton,  March  25,  1671. 


THE    EARLY    BAPTISTS    OF    RHODE    ISLA>"D.       15 

the  colony,  having  been  organized  August  6,  1629, 
"  on  principles  of  perfect  and  entire  independence  of 
every  other  ecclesiastical  body."  The  civil  authori- 
ties in  Boston  protested  against  this  action  of  the 
church  in  Salem  :  "  That  whereas,  Mr.  Williams  had 
refused  to  join  with  the  congregation  at  Boston, 
because  they  would  not  make  a  public  declaration  of 
their  repentance  for  having  communion  with  the 
churches  of  England,  while  they  lived  there ;  and 
besides,  had  declared  his  opinion  that  the  magistrate 
might  not  punish  the  breach  of  the  Sabbath,  nor  any 
other  offense  that  was  a  breach  of  the  first  table : 
therefore,  they  marveled  they  would  choose  him  with- 
out advising  with  the  Council ;  and  withal  desiring 
that  they  would  forbear  to  proceed  till  they  had  con- 
ferred about  it."  From  this  protest  we  learn  that' 
since  his  arrival  in  the  country,  Roger  Williams  had 
already  promulgated  views  with  reference  to  "  soul 
liberty."  The  Salem  Church  received  him  as  its 
minister  on  the  same  day  the  General  Court  formu- 
lated its  protest,  and  he  continued  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  his  office  tintil  summer  when,  for  the  sake 
of  peace,  he  withdresv,  and  took  up  his  residence  at 
Plymouth,  which  was  outside  the  jurisdiction  of 
Massachusetts  Bay.  Says  Gov.  Bradford:^  ''He 
was  friendly  entertained  according  to  their  poor 
ability,  and  exercised  his  gifts  amongst  them,  and  after 

»  "Hist,  of  Plymouth  Plantation."     Coll.  of  Mass.  Hist.  Soc  , 
Vol.  III.,  p.  310. 


16      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

some  time  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  church,  and 
his  teaching  well  approved ;  for  the  benefit  whereof 
I  still  bless  God,  and  am  thankful  lo  him  even  for  his 
sharpest  admonitions  and  reproofs,  so  far  as  they 
agree  with  truth."  Yet,  tolerant  as  the  Pilgrims 
were,  they  had  a  fear,  to  use  Elder  Brewster's  words,^ 
that  Mr.  Williams  would  "  run  the  same  course  of 
rigid  Separation  and  Anabaptistry  which  Mr.  John 
Smith,  the  Se-Baptist  at  Amsterdam,  had  done." 
They  were  not  disappointed,  therefore,  when  near  tlie 
end  of  August,  1633,  Mr.  Williams  left  Plymouth, 
and,  in  accordance  with  an  invitation,  returned  to 
Salem,  where  he  resumed  his  ministry,  as  an  assistant 
to  Mr.  Skelton ;  and  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Skelton, 
which  occurred  August  2, 1634,  he  was  made  his  suc- 
cessor. Among  his  church-members  were  some  of 
the  church  at  Plymouth,  who  had  transferred  their 
membership  to  Salem,  in  order  that  tliey  still  might 
enjoy  the  blessings  of  his  ministry. 

But  the  return  of  Mr.  Williams  to  Salem  was  not 
at  all  pleasing  to  the  authorities  at  Boston.  "  From 
the  period  of  Mr.  Williams'  final  settlement  as  the 
teacher  of  the  church  in  Salem,"  says  Prof.  Gammell,^ 
"  may  be  dated  the  beginniug  of  the  controversy  with 
the  clergy  and  court  of  Massachusetts,  which  at 
length  terminated  in  his  banishment  from  the  colony. 
He  was  surrounded  by  men,  both  in  ecclesiastical  and 

'  Reported  by  Morton  in  "New  England's  Memorial,"  p.  78. 
^  "  Life  of  Roger  Williams,"  p.  38. 


THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   RHODE   ISLAND.      17 

civil  life,  whose  minds  were  as  yet  incapable  of  form- 
ing a  conception  of  the  great  principle  of  spiritual 
freedom  which  had  taken  full  possession  of  his  soul, 
and  which  was  now  gradually  molding  all  his  opin- 
ions, and  by  unseen  agencies  shaping  the  destiny 
which  the  future  had  in  store  for  him."  In  less  than 
a  year,  in  April,  1635,  Mr.  Williams  was  summoned 
by  the  court  to  appear  at  Boston  for  having  taught 
publicly  that  a  magistrate  ought  not  to  tender  an  oath 
to  an  unregenerate  man.  "  He  was  heard  before  all  the 
ministers,"  says  Gov.  Winthrop,  "and  clearly  con- 
futed." In  July,  1635,  he  was  again  summoned  to 
Boston,  and  called  to  answer  to  the  following  tenets 
represented  to  be  held  by  him  :  1.  That  the  magis- 
trate ought  not  to  punish  the  breach  of  the  first  table, 
otherwise  than  in  such  case  as  did  disturb  the  civil 
peace.  2.  That  he  ought  not  to  tender  an  oath  to  an 
unregenerate  man.  3.  That  a  man  ought  not  to  pray 
with  such,  though  they  might  be  wife,  children,  etc. 
4.  That  a  man  ought  not  to  give  thanks  after  sacra- 
ment, nor  after  meals ;  and  that  the  other  churches 
were  about  to  write  to  Salem  to  admonish  him  of  these 
errors,  understanding  that  the  church  had  called  him 
to  the  office  of  teacher.  "  The  said  opinions,"  says 
G(jv.  Winthrop/  "  were  adjudged  by  all  the  magistracy 
and  ministers — who  were  desired  to  be  present — to  be 
erroneous  and  very  dangerous,  and  the  calling  of  hira 
to  office  at  that  time  was  judged  a  great  contempt  of 

1  "Hist,  of  New  EnglaTid,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  194. 
n 


18      HISTOEY   OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

authority."  Mr.  Williams  and  the  church  in  Salem 
were  given  until  the  next  meeting  of  the  court  to 
consider  the  matter,  the  ailvice  of  the  ministers  present 
being  that  those  who  should  obstinately  maintain 
such  opinions  should  be  "  removed/'  in  other  words 
banished,  "  and  that  the  other  churches  ought  to  re- 
quest the  magistrate  so  to  do."  The  people  at  Salem 
seem  to  have  been  steadfast  in  their  allegiance  to  Mr. 
Williams.  "  They  adhered  to  him  long  and  faith- 
fully," says  Upham,  "  and  sheltered  him  from  all 
assaults.  And  when  at  last  he  was  sentenced  by  the 
General  Court  to  banishment  from  the  colony,  on 
account  of  his  principles,  we  cannot  but  admire  the 
fidelity  of  that  friendship  which  prompted  many 
members  of  his  congregation  to  accompany  him  in 
his  exile,  and  partake  of  his  fortunes  when  an  outcast 
upon  the  earth." 

According  to  Winthrop,  the  sentence  of  banishment 
against  Williams  was  pronounced  by  the  General 
Court  in  October,  1635.  Mr.  Hooker  was  selected 
to  dispute  with  him,  but  "could  not  reduce  him  from 
any  of  his  errors."  So  the  next  day  the  court  sen- 
tenced him  to  depart  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
colony  within  six  weeks,  all  the  ministers  but  one 
approving  the  sentence.  The  sentence  of  banishment 
pronounced  October  19,  1635,  was  as  follows  : 

"  Whereas,  Mr.  Roger  Williams,  one  of  the  elders 
of  the  church  of  Salem,  hatli  broached  and  divulired 


THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   RHODE   ISLAND.      19 

new  and  dangerous  opinions  against  the  authority  of 
magistrates;  and  also  writ  letters  of  defamation,  both 
of  the  magistrates  and  churches  here,  and  that  before 
any  conviction,  and  yet  maintaineth  the  same  without 
any  retraction  :  it  is  therefore  ordered  that  the  said 
Mr.  Williams  shall  depart  out  of  this  jurisdiction 
within  six  weeks  now  next  ensuing,  which,  if  he 
neglect  to  perform,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  Governor 
and  two  of  the  magistrates  to  send  him  to  some  place 
out  of  this  jurisdiction,  not  to  return  any  more  with- 
out license  from  the  court." 

It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  on  account  of  Roger 
Williams'  valuable  services  to  the  Massachusetts  colo- 
nists, this  sentence  of  banishment  was  revoked  by  the 
Council,  March  31,  1676.  The  revocation  is  in  these 
words : 

Whereas,  Mr.  Roger  Williams  stands  at  present 
under  a  sentence  of  Restraint  from  coming  into  this 
Colony,  yet  considering  how  readyly  and  freely  at  all 
lymes  lie  hath  served  the  Englisli  interest  in  this  time 
of  warre  with  the  Indians  and  manifested  his  particular 
respects  to  the  Authority  of  this  Colony  in  several 
services  desired  of  him,  and  further  understanding 
how  by  the  last  assault  of  the  Indians  upon  Provi- 
dence his  House  is  burned  and  himself,  in  his  old  age, 
reduced  to  an  uncomfortable  and  disabled  slate.  Out 
of  compassion  to  him  in  this  condition  The  Council 
doe  Order  and  Declare  that  if  the  sayed  Mr.  Williams 
shall  see  cause  and  desire  it,  he  shall  have  liberty  to 
repay  re  into  any  of  our  Towns  for  his  security  and 
Comfortable  abode  during  these  Public  Troubles,  He 
behaving  himself  peaceably  and  inoffensively  and  not 


20      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

disseminatiDg  aud  venting  any  of  his  different  opin- 
ions in  matters  of  Religion  to  the  dissatisfaction  of 
any. 

It  has  been  argued  that  the  banishment  of  Roger 
Williams  "  took  place  for  reasons  purely  political,"  ^ 
or,  in  other  words,  that  the  "  new  and  dangerous 
opinions  "^  which  he  had  divulged  had  no  reference  to 
the  doctrine  of  soul  liberty,  of  which  he  was  the  great 
apostle  in  later  years.  But  this  position  is  clearly 
untenable.  While  there  were  other  matters,  doubt- 
less, that  brought  upon  Roger  Williams  the  ill  will 
of  the  Massachusetts  authorities,  his  denial  of  the 
rii>;ht  of  the  civil  mao;istrate  to  deal  in  matters  of  con- 
science  and  religion  was  certainly  one  of  the  reasons 
why  his  banishment  was  decreed.  This  is  his  own 
statement,  more  than  once  repeated,  and  his  conflict 
with  the  Massachusetts  authorities  is  also  a  witness  on 
the  same  side.  Furthermore,  the  revocation  of  the 
edict  banishing  Mr.  Williams  was  expressly  upon  the 
ground  of  his  "  not  disseminating  and  venting  any  of 
his  diiferent  opinions  in  matters  of  religion." 

Roger  Williams  died  in  1683 ;  but  although  in  the 
seven  years  of  his  life  tlrut  remained  he  did  not  avail 
himself  of  this  manifestation  of  "  Compassion,"  he 
could  not  have  been  insensible  to  the  kindly  feeling 
that  prompted  it.  When  the  "  Acts  of  the  Commis- 
sioners of  the  United  Colonies  of  New  England " 
were  published  by  the  State  of  Massachusetts  in  1859, 

1  Rev.  Dr.  H.  M.  Doxtor,  in  his  "  As  to  Roger  AYillianis,"  p.  79. 


THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   RHODE   ISLAND.      21 

the  editor,  to  render  the  work  more  perfect,  added  in 
an  appendix  several  acts  and  minutes  of  the  commis- 
sioners, and  other  documents,  "  discovered  since  the 
printing  of  this  volume  was  commenced."  The  above 
revocation  of  the  sentence  of  banishment  ao-ainst  Rosrer 
Williams  was  one  of  these  documents,  and  the  editor 
evidently  sought  to  give  it  prominence  by  inserting 
it- in  his  Introduction.  But  the  person  who  made  the 
index  overlooked  it,  and  it  has  therefore  escaped  at- 
tention until  within  a  few  years.^ 

The  views  of  Roger  Williams  were  views  which 
the  Massachusetts  authorities  were  unwilling  to 
tolerate.  It  is  true,  as  John  Cotton  said,  that  to 
Williams  his  departure  from  the  colony  "  was  not 
banishment,  but  enlargement."  But  this  was  not  the 
purpose  of  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts  Bay  in 
sending  him  out  of  their  jurisdiction.  Their  act  "de- 
termined him  to  another,  a  wider,  a  far  more  beneficent 
career,"  but  they  had  in  mind  only  the  removal  of 
one  whose  "  opinions  in  matters  of  religion "  they 
were  anxious  to  suppress. 

On  account  of  ill  health,  Mr.  Williams,  after  his 
banishment  had  been  decreed,  received  permission  to 
remain  at  Salem  during  the  winter,  but  it  was  soon 
reported  to  the  magistrates  that  he  could  not  refrain 
from  uttering  his  opinions  in  his  own  house,  and  that 

1  See  ''Plymouth  Colony  Records,"  Vol.  X.,  p.  6,  Introduc- 
tion; also,  as  to  its  original  source,  "  Massachusetts  Archives," 
Vol.  X.,  p.  233. 


22      HISTOEY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

he  was  preparing  to  establish  a  colony  on  Narragan- 
sett  Bay.  The  court  accordingly  decided  to  send  him 
back  to  England,  and  he  was  summoned  to  Boston 
with  this  intent.  Mr.  Williams,  however,  declined 
to  obey  the  summons.  A  small  sloop  was  then  sent 
to  Salem,  and  the  captain  was  instructed  to  apprehend 
him  and  place  him  on  board  a  vessel  then  about  to  sail 
to  England.  Yet  when  the  officers  reached  his  house 
they  found  he  had  been  gone  three  days,  but  whither 
he  had  gone  they  could  not  learn. 

By  advice  of  John  Winthrop,  who  privately  wrote 
to  him,  Mr.  Williams  proceeded  to  the  shores  of  Nar- 
ragansett  Bay,  and  located  at  first  at  Seekonk ;  but  on 
leai'ning  from  Gov.  Winslow,  of  Plymouth,  that  he 
was  within  the  bounds  of  that  colony,  he  crossed  the 
river  with  five  others,  who  it  is  supposed  had  followed 
him  from  Salem,  and  commenced  a  settlement  which  he 
called  Providence.  It  was  Mr.  Williams'  desire  tliat 
the  new  colony  might  be  "  a  shelter  for  persons  dis- 
tressed of  conscience."  The  growth  of  the  colony, 
however,  was  slow.  In  October,  1638,  Providence 
was  divided  among  thirteen  proprietors,  and  as  many 
more  must  have  joined  the  settlement  shortly  after. 
From  the  beginning  there  may  have  been  preaching 
and  worship,  but  there  was  no  church  organization 
for  more  than  two  years  after  the  founding  of  the 
settlement.  The  religious  opinions  of  Williams  and 
his  associates  were  evidently  in  a  transition  state. 
The  tendency  of  the  former  had  been  toward  Baptist 


THE   EARLY    BAPTISTS   OF   RHODE   ISLAND.      23 

views  for  some  time.  Before  leaving  England  he  had 
been  acquainted  with  Baptists,  and  was  familiar  with 
their  articles  of  belief;  and  he  was  doubtless  the  leader 
in  the  formation  of  a  Baptist  church  at  Providence. 
This  first  sign  of  organization  was  at  some  time  prior 
to  March  16,  1639,  when  Williams  was  baptized  by 
Ezekiel  Holliman,  and  he  in  turn  baptized  Holliman 
and  "  some  ten  more."  But  Williams  remained  only 
a  few  months  in  connection  with  the  church.  He  had 
doubts  in  reference  to  the  validity  of  his  own  baptism, 
and  the  baptism  of  his  associates  on  account  of  the 
absence  of  "authorized  administrators."  "For  him 
there  was  no  church  and  no  ministry  left.  The  apos- 
tolic succession  was  interrupted  and  apostolic  authority 
had  ceased.  It  was  the  baptizer,  and  not  the  baptism, 
about  which  he  doubted.  He  was  a  high  church  Ana- 
baptist. He  went  out  of  the  church,  left  his  little 
congregation  behind,  preached  when  and  where  he 
could,  and  became  a  '  seeker '  the  rest  of  his  days. 
And  during  the  rest  of  his  days  he  never  came  to  a 
'  satisfying  discovery '  of  a  true  church  or  ministry."  ^ 
Two  or  three  withdrew  from  the  fellowship  of  the 
church  with  Mr.  Williams,  but  others  were  added  to 
its  membership,  among  them  Chad  Brown,  William 
Wickenden,  and  later  Gregory  Dexter.  These  with 
Thomas  Olney,  who  was  baptized  by  Williams,  were 
ministers  of  the  church,  although  it  is  very  difficult  to 
determine  their  terms  of  service,  or  how  far  each  was 
'  »  S.  L.  Culdwell,  D.  D. 


24      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

recognized  as  pastor.  "  The  ministry  of  the  word  fell 
to  men  of  less  genius,  of  less  education,  of  more  so- 
briety of  mind  than  Mr.  Williams  had.  They  were 
his  friends,  and  to  a  certain  extent,  his  followers.  They 
had  come  after  him  into  the  wilderness,  but  could  not 
follow  him  into  the  thickets  of  speculation  where  he 
had  wandered.  They  were  satisfied  with  the  new 
baptism  they  had  found,  and  such  ministry  as  their 
own  choice  and  the  Holy  Spirit  supplied.  By  ne- 
cessity, and  probably  by  conviction,  it  was  an  un- 
paid ministry,  and  was  exercised  by  those  who  in 
character  and  gifts  of  '  prophesying '  were  marked  for 
it." ' 

In  November,  1637,  John  Clarke,  an  educated  man, 
and  a  mau  of  some  property,  arrived  at  Boston.  It 
is  believed  that  he  was  a  Baptist  before  leaving  Eng- 
land. When  he  reached  Boston,  the  Antinomian  con- 
troversy, which  had  attracted  general  attention,  was 
approaching  its  culmination,  and  several  of  the  leaders 
were  about  to  be  banislied  from  the  colony.  Clarke 
was  not  drawn  into  this  controversy,  and  in  the  in- 
terests of  peace,  he  suggested  the  establishment  of  a 
new  colony.  With  two  others  he  first  visited  New 
Hampshire,  but  finding  the  climate  too  severe,  he 
made  his  way  to  Providence,  and,  as  the  result  of  a 
conference  with  Roger  Williams,  Mr.  Clarke  and  his 
company,  in  March,  1638,  settled  at  Aquidneck,  now 
the  island  of  Rhode  Island.  The  first  settlement  was 
»  S.  L.  Caldwell,  D.  D. 


THE    EARLY    BAPTISTS   OF    RHODE    ISLAND.       25 

at  the  northern  part  of  the  island ;  but  in  April  fol- 
lowing, several  of  the  families,  including  the  govern- 
ment officials,  removed  to  the  southern  part  of  the 
island,  \vhicli  they  called  Newport.  Preaching  ser- 
vices were  held  from  the  beginning.  "  Mr.  John 
Clarke,  who  was  a  man  of  letters,  carried  on  public 
worship."  A  church,  at  some  time,  was  organized, 
and  this  church  disclaimed  fellowship  with  the  Con- 
gregational church  in  Boston,  with  which  some  of  its 
members  had  formerly  been  connected.  Gov.  Win- 
throp  says  that  in  1640-41  there  were  "professed 
Anabaptists"  on  the  island.  A  Mr.  Lechford,  in  a 
small  book,  to  which  he  added  an  address  to  the  reader 
dated  January,  1641,  says  there  was  a  church  on 
the  island  in  1640,  of  which  Mr.  Clarke  was  elder  or 
pastor,  but  he  had  heard  that  it  was  dissolved.  On 
the  other  hand,  Rev.  John  Comer,  the  fifth  pastor  of 
the  Newport  Church,  about  ninety  years  after  the  set- 
tlement of  the  island,  in  searching  for  facts  concerning 
the  organization  of  the  church,  found  the  private  record 
of  Mr.  Samuel  Hubbard,  who  united  with  the  New- 
port Church  November  3,  1648;  and  by  information 
received  from  other  sources  he  learned  that  the  church 
"  was  constituted  about  1644."  In  a  manuscript  said 
to  be  in  the  possession  of  the  Backus  Historical  So- 
ciety, Mr.  Comer  repeated  the  statement  that  '•  the 
church  was  first  gathered  by  Mr.  Clarke  about  1644." 
Moreover,  Rev.  John  Callender,  who  succeeded  Mr. 
Comer  as  pastor  of  the  Newport  Church,  in  his  Cen- 


26       HISTOEY    OP^    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

tury  Sermon,  says :  "  It  is  said  that  in  1644,  Mr. 
John  Clarke  and  some  others  formed  a  church  on  the 
scheme  and  principles  of  the  Baptists."  The  most 
that  can  be  said  then,  as  to  the  date  at  which  the  New- 
port Church  was  formed,  is  tliat  its  organization  took 
place  at  an  early  period,  "  perhaps  within  the  very 
first  year  of  the  settlement  of  the  island." 

At  Seekonk,  now  Rehoboth,  Baptist  sentiments 
appeared  at  length,  and  in  1649,  an  attempt  was 
made  to  organize  a  Baptist  church.  Assistance  was 
sought  from  Newport,  and  Mr.  Clarke  and  Mr. 
Lucar  made  their  way  thither  in  order  to  give  needed 
counsel,  and  otherwise  aid  the  new  disciples.  Mr. 
Clarke  baptized  quite  a  ntimber,  and  Roger  Williams 
referring  to  the  fact  in  a  letter  to  Gov.  Winthrop, 
said :  "  At  Seekonk,  a  great  many  have  lately  con- 
curred Avith  Mr.  John  Clarke,  and  our  Providence 
men,  about  the  point  of  a  new  baptism  and  the  man- 
ner by  dipping  ;  and  Mr,  John  Clarke  hath  been 
there  lately,  and  Mr.  Lucar,  and  hath  dipped  them. 
I  believe  their  practice  comes  nearer  to  the  first  prac- 
tice of  our  great  Founder,  Christ  Jesus,  than  otlier 
practices  of  religion  do."^  Seekonk  was  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Plymouth  colony,  and  the  Ply- 
mouth magistrates  prosecuted  these  persons  who  had 
publicly  avowed    their  Baptist  belief.^      The  result 

»  "  Pub.  Narr.  Club,"  Vol.  VI.,  p.  188. 

"  The  Mass.  Gen.  Court  sent  to  Plymouth  a  note  October,  1649, 
in  which  occur.s  the  following:     "  Particularly  we  understand 


THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   RHODE   ISLAND.      27 

was  that  most  of  them  removed  to  Aquidneck  in 
1650,  or  early  in  1651,  and  proved  a  valuable  addi- 
tion to  the  Newport  Church.  Among  them  were 
Obadiah  Holmes  and  Joseph  Torrey.  Of  the  former 
more  will  be  said  hereafter. 

A  controversy  soon  arose  concerning  the  principles 
that  enter  into  the  foundation  of  a  true  church  of 
Christ,  and  are  essential  to  its  completeness.  While 
some  in  the  colony  would  do  away  with  the  visible 
church,  and  denied  the  obligation  of  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper,  insisting  that  these  have  only  a 
spiritual  meaning,  others  would  add  to  these,  as 
another  ordinance,  the  imposition  of  hands.  On  the 
authority  of  Heb.  6:1,  2,  this  was  regarded  as  an 
indispensable  prerequisite  to  church-membership  and 
a  place  at  the  Lord's  Supper. 

This  matter  was  first  broached  at  Newport  and 
Providence,  about  the  year  1652,  and  the  division 
which  the  controversy  occasioned  occurred  in  the 
latter  church  in  1653-4.  Rev.  John  Callender,  of 
Newport,  writing  in  1738,  and  referring  to  the  Provi- 
dence Baptists,  says  :  "  Hereupon  they  walked  in 
two  churches,  one  under  Mr.  C.  Brown,  Mr.  Wicken- 

that  within  this  few  ^eekes  there  have  been  at  Sea  Cunke,  thir- 
teene  or  fourteene  persons  rebaptized  (a  swift  progress  in  one 
towne),  yett  we  heare  not  if  any  effectual  restriction  is  entended 
thereabouts.  Lett  it  not,  we  pray  you,  seerae  presumption  in  us 
to  mind  you  hereof,  nor  that  we  earnestly  intreate  you  to  take 
care  as  well  of  the  suppressing  of  errors  as  of  the  maintenance 
of  truth."— Mass.  Col.  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  174. 


28       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

den,  etc.,  the  other  under  Mr.  Thomas  Olney ;  but 
laying  on  of  hands  at  length  generally  obtained." 
Mr.  Olney's  party  withdrew  from  the  church,  and 
maintained    a    separate   existence  until  about  1718.* 

In  the  Newport  Church  the  division  occurred  in 
1656,  when  twenty-one  members  withdrew  and 
formed  another  church.  The  Baptist  brotherhood  in 
Rhode  Island  was  thus  rent  asunder.  The  new  doc- 
trine continued  to  win  many  converts,  churches  were 
organized,  and  toward  the  close  of  the  century  an 
Association  was  formed  in  which  these  churches  were 
united. 

In  1665,  a  few  of  the  members  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  Newport  began  to  keep  the  seventh  day, 
holding  that  the  Scriptures  enjoined  its  observance, 
and  in  1671,  they  withdrew  and  formed  a  Sabbatarian 
church. 

Mr.  Clarke  died  April  20, 1676,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Obadiah  Holmes,  who  was  educated  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Oxford.  In  1673,  five  members  of  tlie 
church  were  disfellowshiped  for  denying  the  deity  of 

1  "  The  fanciful  theory  that  in  this  movement  of  Olney  tlie  his- 
toric continuity  of  the  church  [the  First  Church  of  Providence] 
was  disrupted,  and  we  lose  our  antiquity  and  our  primacy  goes 
to  pieces  on  the  facts.  Just  as  well  say  the  church  lost  its  pre- 
vious history,  when,  in  1771,  Winsor  and  his  associates  went  out 
for  a  reason  just  opposite  to  that  which  led  out  Olney  and  liis 
dissenters.  In  both  cases  the  church  lived  and  continued  and 
survived  the  schism." — Historical  Discourse,  Two  Hundred  and 
Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Providence, 
by  Kev.  S.  L.  Caldwell,  D.  D. 


THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   RHODE   ISLAND.      29 

Christ.  In  1707,  the  old  meeting  house  at  "  Green 
End  "  was  sohl,  and  another  built  on  Tanner  Street 
in  the  following  year.  John  Comer,  the  fifth  pastor 
of  the  church,  was  a  student  at  Yale  College,  but  did 
not  complete  the  course.  His  successor,  John  Cal- 
lender,  was  graduated  at  Harv^ard  in  1723.  Edward 
Upham,  Mr.  Callender's  successor,  was  also  a  graduate 
of  Harvard. 

At  Providence  the  eldership  continued  in  the  family 
of  the  Browns  three  generations.  During  the  minis- 
try of  Pardon  Tillinghast,  "  after  meeting  sixty  years 
out  of  doors  and  indoors,  wherever  it  could  find  a 
place,"  the  church  had  at  length  a  meeting  house. 
It  was  a  rude  affair,  "  in  the  shape  of  a  hay  cap,  with 
a  fireplace  in  the  middle,  the  smoke  escaping  from  a 
hole  in  the  roof,"  and  was  the  gift  of  the  pastor. 
Ebenezer  Jenckes,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Tillinghast  in 
1719,  served  the  church  as  its  pastor  till  his  death, 
August  14,  1726.  About  that  time  a  new  meeting 
house  was  erected,  which  stood  until  the  present  com- 
modious house  was  built.  Thus  far  the  ministry  in 
the  church  had  been  unpaid.  A  party  in  the  church, 
of  which  Mr.  Samuel  Winsor,  one  of  the  deacons, 
was  the  leader,  was  opposed  to  any  cliange  in  the 
established  custom.  But  Gov.  Jenckes  and  others 
wished  not  only  to  employ  Mr.  John  Walton,  a 
minister  of  liberal  education,  but  to  pay  liim.  It 
appears  that  Mr.  Walton  was  not  only  willing  to 
accept  a  salary,  but  he  favored  the  singing  of  psalms, 


30      HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

and  would  receive  to  communion  those  who  were 
"not  under  hands."  Mr.  Winsor's  party  prevailed, 
and  Mr.  Winsor  himself  became  pastor  of  the  church, 
and  was  followed  by  his  son,  Samuel  \Vinsor,  Jr., 
who  served  the  church  from  the  death  of  his  father, 
in  1758,  until  the  spring  of  1771. 

A  century  and  a  third  had  passed  since  the  organi- 
zation of  the  church  at  Providence.^  During  this 
time  "  there  had  been  preaching  after  its  kind."  The 
ministers  had  been  good  men,  but  without  professional 
ti'aining,  and  the  growth  of  the  church  had  not  been 
marked  Without  commerce,  the  progress  of  the 
community  had  been  slow.  But  the  influence  of  a 
new  life  was  now  manifest,  and  it  was  evident  that  a 
better  era  was  about  to  open. 

^  Of  the  other  Baptist  chui-ches  organized  in  Rhode  Island  dur- 
ing this  early  period,  Backus  mentions  Scituate  (1725),  Gloster 
(1649),  Tiverton  (1685),  Smithfield  (170G),  Hopkinton  (1708), 
North  Kingston  (1710),  Warwick  (1725),  Cumberland  (1732), 
East  Greenwich  (1743),  Exeter  (1750),  Westerly  (1750),  Coventry 
(1752),  Warren  (1764),  North  Providence  (1765),  Foster  (1766). 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OP   MASSACHUSETTS. 

REFERRING  to  the  "  Anabaptists"  in  the  colony 
in  1646,  Gov.  Winslow  said:  "We  have  some 
living  among  us ;  nay,  some  in  our  churches  of  tliat 
judgment."  ^  Prominent  among  these  was  Charles 
Chauncy,  afterward  president  of  Harvard  College, 
who  arrived  at  Plymouth  from  England  in  1638. 
He  held  that  baptism  "  ought  only  to  be  by  dipping, 
and  putting  ye  whole  body  under  water,  and  that 
sprinkling  was  unlawful.'"  ^  The  church  at  Plymouth 
wished  to  secure  Mr.  Chauncy's  services  as  assistant 
pastor,  and  it  Avas  willing  that  he  should  '"practice  as 
he  was  persuaded,''  provided  those  who  desired  to  be 
"  otherwise  baptized "  by  another  minister,  should 
have  this  privilege.  But  Mr.  Chauncy  would  not 
agree  to  such  an  arrangement,  and  accordingly,  later, 
after  much  discussion  with  prominent  ministers,  he 
removed  to  Scituate.  where  there  was  a  strong  party 
in  the  church  that  held  to  immersion,  some  to  adult 
immersion  only,  and  some  to  immersion  of  infants  as 
well  as  of  adults.     Mr.  Chauncy  became  pastor  of 

1  Mather,  "  Magnalia,"  Yol.  II.,  p.  459. 

2  Quincy,  "Hist,  of  Harvard  College,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  18. 

31 


32       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

^  the  church.  Felt  says  of  him,  July  7,  1642, 
"  Chauncy  at  Scituate  still  adheres  to  his  practice  of 
immersion.  He  had  baptized  two  of  his  children  in 
this  way." 

In  1644,  Thomas  Painter,  of  Hingham,  was 
ordered  by  the  General  Court  to  be  whipped  for 
re&sing  to  have  his  new-born  babe  baptized,  and 
for  saying  that  such  baptism  was  anti-Christian.^ 
Shortly  afterward,  in  November,  1644,  the  Court 
passed  this  vote :  "  It  is  ordered  and  agreed,  that  if 
v:any  person  or  persons  within  this  particular  jurisdic- 
tion shall  either  openly  condemn  or  oppose  tlie  bap- 
tism of  infants,  or  go  about  secretly  to  seduce  others 
from  the  approbation  or  iisf^  thereof,  or  shall  pur- 
posely depart  the  congregation  at^  the  administration 
of  the  ordinance,  or  shall  deny  the  ordinance  of 
magistracy,  or  their  lawful  right  to  make  war,  or  to 
punish  outward  breaches  of  the  first  table,  and  shall 
appear  to  the  Court  willfully  and  obstinately  to  con- 
tinue therein  after  due  time  and  means  of  conviction, 
every  such  person  or  persons  shall  be  sentenced  to 
banishment."  ^  Gov.  Winthrop,  referring  to  this  order, 
says  it  was  occasioned  because  "Anabaptistry  had  in- 
creased and  spread  in  the  country."  Hubbard  also  says, 
"About the  year  1644,  the  Anabaptists  increased  much 
in  the  Massachusetts  Colony  of  New  England." 

'Backus,  "Hist,  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England,"  Vol.  I., 
p.  127,  note. 
2  Backup,  Vol.  I.,  p.  126. 


THE   EARLY    BAPTISTS  OF   MASSACHUSETTS.     33 

The  attitude  of  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts 
Bay  with  reference  to  the  Baptists  within  their  juris- 
diction is  ilhistrated  by  the  following  facts  :  ^  William 
AVitter,-  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Newport, 
R.  1.,  lived  in  Lynn,  about  two  miles  from  the  vil- 
lage. In  July,  1651,  the  pastor  of  the  Newport 
Church,  Rev.  John  Clarke,  and  two  of  his  brethren, 
Obadiah  Holmes  and  John  Crandall,  visited  Mr. 
Witter,  an  aged  blind  man  who  desired  Christian 
counsel  and  consolation.  With  what  joy  Mr.  Witter 
greeted  the  Newport  brethren  as  they  reached  his 
house  on  a  Saturday  evening  can  readily  be  im- 
ao-ined.  A  reliu;ious  service  was  held  the  next 
forenoon  at  M'hich  the  family,  the  visitors,  "and 
four  or  five  strangers  that  came  in  unexpected," 
were  present.  While  Mr.  Clarke  was  opening  to 
these  the  Scriptures,  two  constables  appeared  with  a 
warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Mr.  Clarke  and  his  Newport 
associates.  No  resistance  was  offered  to  the  officers, 
but  permission  to  conclude  the  service  was  requested. 
This  was  denied,  and  those  arrested  were  removed  to 

1  "Mass.  Hist.  Soc.  Coll.,"  4th  series,  Vol.  II.,  p.  27,  seq. 

2  Dexter,  in  his  "As  to  Koger  Williams,"  p.  120,  note  470,  says 
it  does  not  appear  to  be  by  any  means  certain  that  Witter  was  a 
member  of  the  Newport  Church  or  any  other,  as  Backus  affirms 
on  the  authority  of  the  "  Newport  Church  Papers."  But  these 
papers  "were  gathered  by  the  painstaking  John  Comer,  in 
1726,"  and  "  were  derived  from  Samuel  Hubbard  and  Edward 
Smith,  both  members  of  the  Newport  Church,  and  contemporary 
with  the  events  narrated."— Kev.  C.  E.  Barrows,  D.  D.,  in  "Bap- 
tist Quarterly  Review,"  Vol.  X.,  p.  360. 

B 


34      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

"  the  ale-house  or  ordinary."  In  the  afternoon, 
against  their  protest,  Mr.  Clarke  and  his  companions 
were  compelled  to  attend  the  public  service.  From 
the  language  of  the  sentences  of  the  Court  it  has  been 
inferred  that  occasion  was  found,  probably  on  the 
following  day,  for  the  Newport  brethren  to  administer 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  It 
has  even  been  suggested  that  Mr.  Witter  was  baptized 
at  this  time.  But  neither  Mr.  Clarke  nor  Mr. 
Holmes  makes  any  allusion  to  baptism  in  connection 
with  this  visit,  and  the  mention  of  baptism  in  the 
sentences  doubtless  grew  out  of  a  suspicion  of  the 
magistrates.  Mr.  Witter  was  an  avowed  Baptist  at 
least  eight  years  before,  and  it  is  altogether  im- 
probable that  he  had  delayed  baptism  until  this 
time.^ 

On  Tuesday,  July  22,  the  prisoners  were  removed  to 
Boston.  The  next  week,  on  Thursday,  July  31,  oc- 
curred the  trial.  Mr.  Clarke  says  :  "  In  the  forenoon 
we  were  examined  ;  in  the  afternoon,  without  producing 
either  accuser,  witness,  jury,  law  of  God  or  man,  we 
were  sentenced."  Gov.  Endicott  during  the  examina- 
tion, accused  Mr.  Clarke  and  his  companions  of  being 
Anabaptists,  Mr.  Clarke  replied  that  he  was  "  neither 
an  Anabaptist,  nor  a  Pedobaptist,  nor  a  Catabaptist." 
Losing  his  temper,  the  governor  said  "  they  deserved 
death,  and  he  would  not  have  such  trash  brought  into 
his  jurisdiction."  He  challenged  them  to  a  discussion 
1  Kev.  Dr.  Henry  M.  King's  "Early  Baptists  Defended,"  p.  32. 


THE   EARLY    BAPTISTS   OF   MASSACHUSETTS.     35 

wiih  the  ministers.  Mr.  Clarke  accepted  this  chal- 
lenge, and  requested  the  governor  to  appoint  a  time 
for  the  discussion.  One  of  the  magistrates  informed 
Mr.  Clarke  that  the  discussion  would  take  place  the 
following  week  ;  but  after  some  delay  the  arrange- 
ment failed.  The  points  Mr.  Clarke  proposed  for 
discussion  were  four  in  number.  The  first  had  refer- 
ence to  the  kingship  of  Christ :  "  That  this  Jesus 
Christ  is  also  the  Lord  :  none  to  or  with  him  by  way 
of  commanding  and  ordering,  with  respect  to  the 
worship  of  God,  the  household  of  faith."  The 
second  testified  that  "  baptism,  or  dipping  in  water,  is 
one  of  the  commandments  of  this  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  that  a  visible  believer  or  disciple  of  Christ  Jesus 
— that  is,  one  that  manifesteth  repentance  toward  God, 
and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ — is  the  only  person  that  is 
to  be  baptized,  or  dipped  with  that  visible  baptism." 
The  third  affirmed  that  "every  such  believer  in 
Christ  Jesus  .  .  .  may  in  point  of  liberty,  yea, 
ought  in  point  of  duty,  to  improve  that  talent  his 
Lord  hath  given  unto  him,  and  in  the  congregation 
.  .  .  may  speak  by  way  of  prophecy  for  the  edifi- 
cation, exhortation,  and  comfort  of  the  whole."  The 
fourth  insisted  "  that  no  such  believer  or  servant  of 
Christ  Jesus  hath  liberty,  much  less  authority  from 
his  Lord  to  smite  his  fellow-servant,  nor  yet  with 
outward  force,  or  arm  of  flesh  to  constrain,  or  re- 
strain his  conscience,  no,  nor  yet  his  outward  man 
for  conscience'  sake,  or  worship  of  his  God,  where 


36       HISTORY    OF    BAPTIST    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

injury  is  not  offered  to  the  person,  name,  or  estate  of 
others." 

Cruudall  was  sentenced  to  pay  five  pounds,  or  to  be 
well  whipped ;  Clarke  to  pay  twenty  pounds,  or  to  be 
well  whipped  ;  and  Holmes,  probably  because  he  had 
been  excommunicated  from  the  church  at  Rehoboth, 
was  sentenced  to  pay  thirty  pounds,  or  to  be  well 
whipped.  The  fines  of  Crandall  and  Clarke  were 
paid  by  "■  tender-hearted  friends,  without  their  con- 
sent and  contrary  to  their  judgment."  There  were 
those  too  who  desired  to  pay  the  fine  of  Mr.  Holmes, 
but  he  "durst  not  accept  of  deliverance  in  such  a 
wat."  Inasmuch  as  the  consciences  of  Clarke  and  Cran- 
dall impelled  them  to  a  like  refusal,  it  is  evident  "  that 
the  authorities  were  willing  to  accept  the  payment  of 
the  fines  of  Crandall  and  Clarke,  though  made  by  others 
without  their  knowledge  and  consent,  and  set  them 
free;  but  that  in  the  case  of  Holmes,  he  being  the 
greatest  offender,  they  manifested  no  such  willing- 
ness." He  was  kept  in  prison  until  September,  and 
then  brought  forth  for  punishment.  Having  been 
stripped  of  his  clothing,  Holmes  was  delivered  to  the 
executioner  who  was  told  to  "  doe  his  office."  Mr. 
Holmes  tells  the  story  of  what  followed.  ''  As  the 
man  began  to  lay  the  streaks  upon  my  back,  I  said  to 
the  people  :  '  Though  my  flesh  should  fail,  and  my 
spirit  should  fail,  yet  God  would  not  fail ' ;  so  it 
pleased  the  Lord  to  come  in  and  so  to  fill  piy  heart 
and  tongue  as  a  vessel  full,  and  with  an  audible  voyce 


THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   MASSACHUSETTS.     37 

I  broke  forth  praying  unto  the  Lord  not  to  lay  this  sin 
to  their  charge,  and  telling  the  people,  that  now  I  found 
he  did  not  fail  me ;  and  therefore,  now  I  shonld  trust 
him  forever  who  failed  me  not ;  for  in  truth,  as  the 
stroaks  fell  upon  me,  I  had  such  a  spiritual  manifesta- 
tion of  God's  presence,  as  the  like  thereunto  I  never 
heard,  nor  felt,  nor  can  with  fleshly  tongue  expresse  ; 
and  the  outward  pain  was  so  removed  from  me,  that 
indeed  I  am  not  able  to  declare  it  to  you  ;  it  was  so 
easie  to  me  that  I  could  well  bear  it,  yea,  and  in  a 
manner  felt  it  not,  although  it  was  grievous,  as  the 
spectators  said,  the  man  striking  with  all  his  strength 
(yea,  spitting  on  his  hands  three  times,  as  many  af- 
firm) with  a  three-coarded  whip,  giving  me  therewith 
thirty  stroaks.  When  he  had  loosed  me  from  the 
post,  having  joyfulness  in  ray  heart  and  cheerfulness 
in  my  countenance,  as  the  spectators  observed,  I  told 
the  magistrates  : '  You  have  struck  me  as  with  roses ' ; 
and  said,  moreover :  '  Although  the  Lord  hath  made 
it  easie  to  me,  yet  I  pray  God  it  may  not  be  laid 
to  your  charge.'  "  * 

Writing  to  Gov.  Endicott  with  reference  to  the 
treatment  which  the  Newport  Baptists  received  at  the 
hands  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  authorities,  Roger 

»  Rev.  H.  M.  Dexter,  D.  J).,  in  his  "As  to  Roger  Williams," 
p.  121,  note  478,  referring  to  the  whipping  of  Holmes,  says : 
"  Arnold  thinks  he  was 'cruelly  whipped'  (Hist,  of  R.  I.,  Vol. 
I.,  p.  235).  But  Clarke  [he  means  Holmes]  says:  'It  was  so 
easie  to  me,  that  I  could  well  hear  it,  yea,  and  in  a  manner  felt  it 
not'  ;  and  that  he  told  the  magistrates  after  it  was  over  :     'You 


38      HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

Williams  made  an  earnest,  manly  plea  for  toleration 
in  matters  of  conscience  and  religion.  It  was  a  timely 
letter,  but  failed  to  accomplish  its  object.  The  first 
president  of  Harvard  College,  Henry  Diinster,  of 
whom  Quincy,  in  his  history  of  Harvard  College, 
says,  "  No  man  ever  questioned  his  talents,  learning, 
exemplary  fidelity,  and  usefulness,"  was  led  to  a  study 
of  God's  word  with  reference  to  Baptist  principles  by 
the  trial  and  punishment  of  Mr.  Clarke  and  his  asso- 
ciates. The  result  was  that  he  publicly  assailed  in- 
fant baptism  and  insisted  on  believers'  baptism.  "  All 
instituted  gospel  worship,"  he  said,  "  hath  some  express 
word  of  Scripture,  but  Pedobaptism  hath  none"  ;  and 
on  account  of  his  views  concerning  baptism  Mr. 
Dunster  was  compelled  in  October,  1654,  to  resign 
the  presidency,  after  having  been  "  indicted  by  the 
Grand  Jury  for  disturbing  the  ordinance  of  infant 
baptism  in  the  Cambridge  Church,  sentenced  to  a  pub- 
lic admonition  on  lecture  day,  and  laid  under  bonds 
for  good  behavior."  As  Cotton  Mather  says  :  "  His 
unhappy  entanglement  in  the  snares  of  Anabaptism 
filled  the  overseers  with  uneasy  fears,  lest  the  students 

have  struck  me  as  with  roses.'  "  This  note  conveys  the  impres- 
sion that  Holmes'  punishment  was  made  light.  If  Dr.  Dexter 
had  given  the  quotation  from  Holmes  in  full,  however,  no  such 
impression  would  be  possible.  For  a  long  time  Dr.  Dexter  was 
unwilling  to  admit  the  erroneous  character  of  this  note;  he 
yielded  at  length,  however,  and  agreed  to  correct  his  statement 
in  another  edition  of  his  work.  But  the  work  has  not  yet 
reached  a  second  edition,  and  probably  never  will. 


THE   EAKLY   BAPTISTS   OF   MASSACHUSETTS.      39 

by  his  means  should  come  to  be  ensnared."  It  is  a 
curious  fact  that  President  Dunster's  successor  was 
Mr.  Charles  Chauncy,  the  pastor  at  Scituate,  to  whom 
reference  has  already  been  made. 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  what  is  now  the  State 
of  Massachusetts  was  organized  inRehoboth,  in  1663, 
by  Rev.  John  ^liles.  Mr.  Miles  was  the  father  of 
the  Baptist  churches  in  Wales,  and  had  been  pastor  of 
one  of  them  at  Ilston,  near  Swansea.  By  the  Act  of 
Uniformity,  in  1662,  he  was  ejected  from  his  pastor- 
ate, and  with  others  he  determined  to  seek  a  home  in' 
the  New  World.  In  settling  at  Rehoboth,  Mr.  Miles 
and  his  brethren  were  on  ground  that  had  already  been 
occupied  by  Baptists.  Obadiah  Holmes,  removed  there 
from  Salem  in  1646,  and  united  with  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  But  having  become  a  Baptist,  he  and 
eight  others  established  a  separate  meeting,  for  which 
they  were  excommunicated  by  the  church.  In  Oc- 
tober, 1650,  they  were  indicted  by  the  Grand  Jury, 
and  to  escape  further  persecution,  and  doubtless  com- 
pelled to  leave,  Holmes  and  most  of  his  little  com- 
pany removed  to  Newport. 

For  a  while  Mr.  Miles  and  his  brethren  at  Reho- 
both were  unmolested.  He  was  a  favorite  in  the  com- 
munity, and  March  13,  1666,  the  people  publicly  re- 
quested him  to  lecture  on  Sunday,  and  once  in  two 
weeks  on  the  week-day.  But  the  state  of  things  at 
Rehoboth  was  not  pleasing  to  the  authorities,  and 
July  2,   1667,  Mr.  Miles  and  one  of  his  associates 


40      HISTORY    OP    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

were  brought  before  the  court  at  Plymouth  for  a 
breach  of  order  "  in  setting  up  of  a  public  meeting 
without  the  knowledge  and  approbation  of  the  courr, 
to  the  disturbance  of  the  peace  of  the  place "  ;  and 
they  were  each  fined  five  pounds.  As  their  continu- 
ance at  Rehoboth  was  regarded  as  prejudicial  to  the 
peace  of  the  church  and  the  town,  they  were  notified 
that  they  must  settle  elsewhere.  An  arrangement  was 
accordingly  made  by  which,  in  October  following,  they 
obtained  from  the  court  at  Plymouth  the  grant  of  a 
township  which  they  called  Swansea,  and  of  which 
the  present  town  of  Swansea  is  a  part.  Mr.  Backus 
says  :  "  Mr.  Miles  often  visited  and  labored  with  his 
brethren  of  Boston  in  the  time  of  their  sufferings ; 
and  he  continued  the  faithful  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Swansea,  until  he  fell  asleep  there,  in  a  good  old  age, 
February  3,  1683."^ 

Almost  from  the  beginning  of  the  settlement  of 
Massachusetts  Bay,  Baptists  had  been  found  here  and 
there.  Seth  Sweetser,  who  came  over  from  England 
to  Charlestown,  in  1638,  was  one  of  those  early  Bap- 
tists. Others,  whose  names  have  not  been  preserved, 
were  faithful  to  their  convictions  of  truth  and  duty, 
and  constituted  the  unorganized  materials  of  Baptist 
churches.  Out  of  these  materials  there  was  formed 
in  Charlestown,  May  28,  1665,  what  is  now  known 
as  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Boston.     On  that  day 

1  Backus,  "  Hist,  of  tlie  Baptists  in  New  England,"  Vol.  II., 
p.  433. 


THE   EA.RLY   BAPTISTS   OF   MASSACHUSETTS.     41 

Thomas  Gould,  Thomas  Osborne,  Edward  Drinker, 
and  John  George  were  baptized,  and  joined  with 
Eichard  Goodall,  William  Turner,  Robert  Lambert, 
Mary  Goodall,  and  Mary  Newell,  "  in  a  solemn  cove- 
nant, in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  walk 
in  fellowship  and  communion  together,  in  the  practice 
of  all  the  holy  appointments  of  Christ,  which  he  had, 
or  should  further  make  known  to  them."  Gould  and 
Osborne  had  separated  from  the  church  in  Charles- 
town  ;  Drinker  and  George  had  lived  many  years  in 
the  colony,  but  had  not  united  with  any  church ; 
Goodall  came  from  Mr.  Kiffin's  church  in  London  ; 
Turner  and  Lambert,  from  Mr.  Stead's  church  in 
Dartmouth  ;  all  having  been  members  in  good  stand- 
ing before  leaving  England. 

Persecution  soon  assailed  this  little  company  of  be- 
lievers. Having  been  brought  before  the  Court  of  As- 
sistance in  September,  they  exhibited  their  Confession 
of  Faith.  The  following  was  the  only  article  to  which 
objection  was  made  :  "  Christ's  commission  to  his  dis- 
ciples is  to  teach  and  baptize,  and  those  who  gladly  re- 
ceive the  word,  and  are  baptized,  are  saints  by  calling, 
and  fit  matter  for  a  visible  church."  It  was  said  that 
this  article  excluded  all  from  a  visible  saintship  but 
baptized  persons.  The  Court  commanded  them  to  de- 
sist from  their  •'  schismatical  practices,"  and  as  they 
refused,  the  General  Court,  October  11,  summoned 
Gould,  Turner,  Osborne,  Drinker,  and  George,  who 
brought  with  them  the  same  Confession  of  Faith  thev 


42      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

had  submitted  to  the  Court  of  Assistance.  "  If  any 
take  this  to  be  heresy,"  they  said,  "  then  do  we,  with 
the  apostle,  confess  that  after  the  way  which  they  call 
heresy,  we  worship  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  believing  all  things  that  are  written  in 
the  law  and  the  prophets  and  apostles."  This  the 
Court  called  a  "  contemning  of  the  authority  and 
laws,"  and  it  was  ordered  that  those  who  were  free- 
men should  be  disfranchised,  and  that  all  of  them, 
"  upon  conviction  before  any  one  magistrate  or  Court, 
of  their  further  proceedings  herein,"  should  be  com- 
mitted to  prison  until  the  General  Court  should  take 
further  order  concerning  them.  April  17,  1666, 
they  were  presented  to  the  County  Court  at  Cam- 
bridge, for  absenting  themselves  from  the  public  wor- 
ship ;  and  when  they  claimed  that  they  did  steadily 
attend  such  worship  according  to  the  rule  of  Christ, 
the  unlawfulness  of  their  assembly  was  insisted  upon, 
and  they  were  each  fined  four  pounds,  and  required 
to  give  bonds  in  twenty  pounds  each  for  their  appear- 
ance at  the  next  Court  of  Assistance.  Refusing  to 
do  this  they  were  committed  to  prison. 

August  18, 1666,  the  Court  of  Assistance  decided  that 
if  Gould  and  Osborne  would  pay  their  fines  and  costs 
they  should  be  released ;  if  not.  they  should  be 
banished.  March  3,  1668,  Gould  was  recommitted 
to  prison.  As  fines  and  imprisonments  accomplished 
nothing,  a  public  discussion  was  arranged  for  April 
14,  at  tlie  meeting  house  in   Boston.     The  governor 


THE    EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   MASSACHUSETTS.     43 

and  council  appointed  Messrs.  Allen,  Cobbett,  Hig- 
ginson,  Danforth,  Mitchell,  and  Shepard  to  debate 
with  Gould  and  his  brethren  this  question  :  "  Whether 
it  be  justifiable  by  the  word  of  God  for  these  persons 
and  their  company  to  depart  from  the  communion  of 
these  churches,  and  to  set  up  an  assembly  here  in  the 
way  of  Anabaptism,  and  whether  such  a  practice  is  to 
be  allowed  by  the  government  of  this  jurisdiction?" 
Mr.  Gould  was  required  by  the  council  to  notify  his 
brethren  of  this  discussion.  The  church  in  New- 
port sent  three  of  its  members  to  aid  the  Boston 
brethren.  But  the  discussion  was  all  on  one  side. 
For  two  days  the  opponents  of  the  Baptists  presented 
their  views,  but  the  Baptists  were  not  allowed  to  re- 
ply, and  when  the  assembly  met  in  Boston  in  May, 
Gould  and  his  brethren  were  summoned  in  order  that 
the  Court  might  know  whether  "  they  had  altered 
their  former  declared  resolution."  ^  They  replied  that 
they  had  not,  and  it  was  accordingly  ordered  that 
"  Thomas  Gould,  William  Turner,  and  John  Farnura, 
Senior,  do  before  the  twentieth  of  July  next,  remove 
themselves  out  of  this  jurisdiction."  As  they  paid 
no  attention  to  the  order  of  the  Court  all  three  were 
imprisoned ;  and  wiien  in  the  autumn  a  petition  was 
sent  to  the  Court  for  their  release,  the  Court,  instead  of 
granting  it,  fined  its  principal  promoters.  March  2, 
1669,  Gould  and  Turner  were  liberated  from  prison 
three  days   "  to  visit  their  families,  as  also  to  apply 

1  "  Onler  of  Court,"  Backus,  Vol.  I.,  p.  303. 


44      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS  IN    NEW   ENGLAND. 

themselves  to  any  that  are  able  and  orthodox  for  their 
further  conviucement  of  their  many  irregularities  in 
those  practices  for  which  they  were  sentenced."  ^  At 
some  time  in  1670,  it  is  supposed  they  were  again  re- 
leased. Mr.  Gould  then  made  his  home  on  Noddle's 
Island,  in  Boston  Harbor,  and  there  the  church  also 
had  a  home. 

While  Mr.  Leverett  was  governor  of  the  colony, 
the  Baptists  do  not  seem  to  have  been  molested.  Mr. 
Gould  died  October  27,  1675,  having  "proved  an 
eminent  instrument  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  for  the 
carrying  on  of  the  good  work  of  God  in  its  low  and 
weak  beginnings."  The  ministry  of  Mr.  Miles  and 
others  was  greatly  blessed  to  the  church,  which  in 
February,  1677,  had  so  much  increased  in  numbers 
that  a  division  was  agreed  upon.  In  January,  1678, 
however,  it  was  decided  to  defer  the  division  of  the 
church  and  to  erect  a  meeting  house.  Mr.  Russell 
was  ordained  pastor  of  the  church,  July  28,  1679. 
With  him  was  associated  Isaac  Hull,  who,  Benedict 
says,  succeeded  Mr.  Russell.  Gov.  Leverett  had  now 
died,  and  we  again  hear  of  fines  and  court  charges. 
But  the  members  of  the  church  resolutely  continued 
their  work.  Philip  Squire  and  Ellis  Callender  had 
built,  in  ]  669,  a  small  house  "  at  the  foot  of  an  open 
lot  running  down  from  Salem  street  to  the  mill  pond." 
It  was  not  called  a  meeting  house,  but  when  the 
church,  February  9,  1670,  bought  tiie  house  and  the 
1  "Order  of  Court,"  Backus,  Vol.  I.,  p.  315,  note. 


THE   EARLY    BAPTISTS   OF   MASSACHUSETTS.     45 

land  on  which  it  stood,  there  was  much  excitement 
concerning  it.  The  Baptists  had  been  censured  for 
meeting  in  private  houses.  ''  Since  we  have  for  our 
convenience  obtained  a  public  house  on  purpose  for 
that  use,"  wrote  Mr.  Russell,  "  we  are  become  more 
oiFensive  than  before."  In  May,  the  General  Court 
enacted  a  law  prohibiting  the  erection  and  use  of  a 
house  for  public  worship,  without  the  consent  of  the 
freemen  of  the  town,  and  license  of  the  County  Court, 
or  special  order  of  the  General  Court,  on  the  penalty 
of  forfeiture  of  house  and  land  to  the  county.  In 
obedience  to  this  ex  post  facto  law,  the  Baptists  re- 
frained from  occupying  their  meeting  house.  But 
when  King  Charles,  in  the  interest  of  Episcopacy,  di- 
rected the  colonial  authorities  to  allow  to  all  Protest- 
ants liberty  of  conscience,  the  Baptists  reopened  their 
house.  For  this  they  were  arraigned  by  the  Court, 
and  March  8,  1680,  the  marshal  nailed  up  the  doors, 
on  one  of  which  was  posted  the  following  notice : 

All  persons  are  to  take  notice  that,  by  order  of 
the  Court,  the  doors  of  this  house  are  shut  up,  and 
that  they  are  inhibited  to  hold  any  meetings  therein, 
or  to  open  the  doors  thereof,  without  license  from  au- 
thority, till  the  Court  take  farther  order,  or  they  will 
answer  the  contrary  to  their  peril. 

Edward  Rawson,  Secretary. 

On  the  following  Sunday  the  Baptists  held  a  meet- 
ing for  worship  in  the  church  yard,  and  during  the 
following  week  they  "  prepared  a  shed  therein  for  the 


46       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

purpose."  On  the  second  Sunday,  when  they  as- 
sembled, they  found  the  doors  of  the  house  open,  and 
occupied  it,  as  the  owners  of  the  property.  The 
church  subsequently  received  an  admonition  from  the 
governor  by  direction  of  the  General  Court,  but  there 
is  no  record  of  a  later  ejectment. 

Mr.  Russell  died  Dec.  21,  1680.  Mr.  Hull  con- 
tinued in  the  pastoral  office  until  1689,  and  perhaps 
longer,  but  on  account  of  the  failure  of  his  health  the 
church,  in  1684,  called  Mr.  John  Emblen,  from  Eng- 
land, whose  service  with  the  church  extended  to  the 
close  of  the  century.  An  attempt  was  then  made  to 
secure  another  minister  from  England,  but  without 
success.  Rev.  William  Screven,  of  South  Carolina, 
was  invited  to  take  the  pastorate  of  the  church.  At 
his  suggestion  they  called  Mr.  Ellis  Callender,  in 
1708,  and  he  served  the  church  until  1726.  His  son, 
Elisha  Callender,  a  graduate  of  Harvard,  was  his 
successor,  having  been  ordained  May  21,  1718.  He 
died  March  31,  .1738.  Mr.  Jeremy  Condy,  also  a 
graduate  of  Harvard,  was  ordained  pastor  of  the 
church  Feb.  14,  1739.  Backus  says  :  "  He  had  quite 
other  sentiments  concerning  the  nature  and  power  of 
the  gospel  than  those  of  his  predecessors;  and  he 
opposed  the  powerful  work  which  came  on  in  Boston 
the  year  after  he  was  ordained."  ^ 

The   reference   is  to   the  "  Great  Awakening,"  or 
"  Great  Revival,"  in  New  England,  in  connection  with 
1  "  Hist,  of  the  Baptists  iu  New  England,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  419. 


THE    EARLY    BAPTISTS    OF    MASSACHUSETTS.      47 

the  labors  of  Whitefield,  Gilbert  Tennent,  and  other 
"  wanton  gospellers,"  as  tliey  were  sometimes  called, 
who  stirred  the  religious  feelings  of  the  people  where- 
ever  they  appeared.  Whitefield,  whose  tongue  was  a 
tongue  of  fire,  is  said  to  have  preached  to  twenty 
thousand  hearers  on  Boston  Common.  Of  the  preacii- 
ing  of  Tennent,  Rev.  Thomas  Prince,  at  that  time 
pastor  of  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  said  :  "  It 
is  both  terrible  and  searching.  .  .  By  liis  arousing 
and  spiritual  preaching,  deep  and  pungent  convictions 
were  wrought  in  the  minds  of  many  hundreds  of  per- 
sons in  that  town.  .  .  And  now  was  such  a  time  as 
we  never  knew.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Cooper  was  wont  to 
say  that  more  came  to  him  in  one  week  in  deep  concern 
than  in  the  whole  twenty-four  years  of  his  preceding 
ministry.  I  can  say  also  the  same  as  to  the  numbers 
who  repaired  to  me."  This  was  also  true  of  the  work 
of  Whitefield  and  his  associates  wherever  they  went. 
The  preaching  of  Jonatiian  Edwards  was  also  helpful 
in  extending  these  revival  influences.  Earnestly  solic- 
ited by  ministers  and  people,  he  visited  many  churches 
and  aided  in  the  work.  But  Mr.  Edwards  was  espe- 
cially helpful  in  the  movement  by  his  writings,  prom- 
inent among  which  was  his  sermon  preached  at  New 
Haven,  Sept.  10, 1741,  on  "  The  Distinguishing  Marks 
of  a  W^ork  of  the  Spirit  of  God,"  for  which,  when 
published,  Mr.  Cooper,  of  Boston,  wrote  a  preface ; 
also  very  helpful  was  his '•' Thoughts  Concerning  the 
Present  Revival   of  Religion  in   New  England,"  in 


48       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    E.NGLAND. 

which  the  distinction  between  true  and   false  religion 
was  clearly  and  forcibly  stated. 

The  dissatisfaction  with  reference  to  Mr.  Coudy,  at 
the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Boston,  led  to  the  with- 
drawal of  those  who  were  opposed  to  him,  and  the 
organization  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  July  27, 
1743^  "  As  most  of  the  old  Baptist  ministers  and 
cliurches  in  our  country  were  prejudiced  against  the 
late  revival  of  religion  therein,"  says  Backus,^  "  these 
people  found  it  difficult  to  obtain  help  in  the  ordina- 
tion of  their  minister,"  Mr.  Ephraim  Bound.  This 
was  at  length  secured,  however,  and  he  was  ordained 
a1  Warwick,  R.  I. 

'  Up  to  the  time  of  the  Great  Awakening  the  Baptist  churches 
organized  in  Massachusetts,  besides  the  church  in  Swansea  (1663) 
and  tlie  First  Church  in  Boston  (1665),  were  the  church  among 
the  Indians  in  Chilmark,  Martha's  Vineyard  (1693),  Kehoboth 
(1732),  Sutton  (1735),  Brimfield,  now  Wales  (1736),  Bellingham 
(1737),  and  Leicester  (1738).  After  the  Great  Awakening,  and 
as  a  result  of  it,  the  number  of  Baptist  churches  in  the  State  was 
largely  increased.  The  following  churches  were  organized  pre- 
vious to  the  Revolution:  Second  Rehoboth  (1743),  Stui'bridge 
(1749),  Bellingham  (1750,  either  the  church  organized  in  1737 
had  become  extinct  or  was  now  revived).  First  Middleboro 
(1756),  Second  Middleboro  (1757),  Harwich  (1757),  Ashfield 
(1761),  Third  Middleboro  (1761),  Taunton  (1761),  Third  Reho- 
both (1762),  Charlton  (17(i2),  Haveraill  (1765),  Second  Sutton 
(1765),  Hardwick  (1768),  Wilbraham  (1768),  Attleboro  (1769), 
Cheshire  (1769),  Wrentham  (1769),  Royalston  (1770),  Chelmsford 
(1771),  Barnstable  (1771),  New  Salem  (1772),  Fourth  Rehoboth 
(1772),  Pittsfield  (1772),  Hancock  (1772),  Freetown  (1774),  New 
Bedford  (1774). 

2  "  Hist,  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  422. 


THE   EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   MASSACHUSEITS.     49 

T&e  Baptist  church  in  Middleboro  was  organized 
by  Rev.  Isaac  Backus.  He  was  converted  at  Norwich, 
Conn.,  in  1741,  and  in  connection  with  the  Whitefield 
revival,  July  11,  1742,  he  united  with  tlie  Congre- 
gational church  in  Norwich,  but  with  misgivings,  from 
observing  that  neither  due  care  was  exercised  in  re- 
ceiving members,  nor  proper  faithfulness  with  reference 
to  those  who  were  in  the  church.  In  1745,  he  with- 
drew from  the  church,  and  with  fifteen  others  formed 
a  Separate  church,  which  was  composed  of  Baptists 
and  Congregationalists.  In  1748,  he  organized  a 
Separate  church  in  Middleboro,  Mass.,  of  which  he 
was  ordained  pastor,  April  13.  Baptist  tendencies 
more  and  more  appeared  in  the  membership  of  the 
church ;  Backus  himself  was  led  to  consider  the 
question  of  duty  ;  and  January  16,  1756,  a  Baptist 
church  was  organized,  of  which  Mr.  Backus  was  in- 
stalled pastor,  July  23.  It  was  the  first  Baptist  church 
formed  in  Plymouth  county,  and  the  first  "  in  an  ex- 
tent of  country  above  a  liundred  miles  long,  from 
Bellingham  to  the  end  of  Cape  Cod,  and  near  fifty 
miles  M'ide,  between  Boston  and  Rehoboth."  The 
ability,  piety,  and  untiring  industry  of  Mr.  Backus 
made  him  a  valuable  addition  to  the  Baptist  ranks  in 
New  England.  In  labors  he  was  abundant.  From 
1756  to  1767  he  preached  two  thousand  four  hundred 
and  twelve  sermons,  and  traveled  beyond  the  limits 
of  his  own  parish  fourteen  thousand  six  hundred  and 
ninety-one  miles. 


50      HISTOllY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

The  Baptist  church  in  Haverhill  had  as  its  first 
pastor  Rev.  Hezekiah  Smith.  He  was  graduated  at 
Princeton  College  in  the  same  class  with  James  Man- 
ning, the  first  president  of  Brown  University.  After 
laboring  as  an  evangelist  in  the  South,  he  came  inio 
New  England  in  the  spring  of  1764,  and  on  account 
of  his  glowing  piety  and  earnest,  effective  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  he  was  welcomed  to  Baptist  and  Con- 
gregational pulpits  in  many  places.  Mr.  Smith  ex- 
pected to  return  to  New  Jersey  in  the  fall,  but  at 
Haverhill,  Mass.,  a  large  and  effectual  door  was  opened 
to  him,  and,  as  a  result  of  his  labors  there,  a  Baptist 
church  was  organized  May  9,  1765,  and  he  became 
pastor  of  the  church.  A  meeting-house  was  at  once 
erected.  The  first  person  baptized  at  Haverliill  by 
Mr.  Smith  was  Miss  Mary  Bailey,  afterward  Mrs. 
Asa  Chaplin,  and  the  mother  of  the  first  president  of 
Waterville  College,  now  Colby  University.  The 
church  had  twenty-three  members  at  its  organization, 
and  at  the  formation  of  the  Warren  Association,  two 
years  later,  it  rei>orted  one  hundred  and  seven  mem- 
bers, and  was  the  fourth  Baptist  church  in  New  Eng- 
land in  the  number  of  its  members.  During  the  first 
four  years  of  his  ministry  in  Haverhill,  Mr.  Smith 
baptized  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  converts,  besides 
fifty-six  elsewhere.  He  was  a  man  whose  evangelistic 
zeal  would  not  let  him  rest,  and  he  became  the  spiritual 
father  of  a  host  in  the  neighboring  towns,  and  in  towns 
bevond  the  limits  of  the  State. 


CHAPTER  III. 

BAPTISTS   OF   OTHER   NEW  ENGLAND   STATES. 

IV/TAINE.— William  Screven  and  Humphrey 
■^■^  Churchwood  were  baptized  and  united  with 
the  Baptist  church  in  Boston,  June  21,  1681.  They 
were  residents  of  Kittery,  in  the  Province  of  Maine, 
and  having  adopted  Baptist  views  had  made  their  way 
to  Boston  to  unite  with  brethren  of  the  same  faith  and 
order.  Mr.  Screven  undoubtedly  came  to  Ivitterv 
from  England,  but  at  what  time  is  unknown.  After 
his  settlement  at  Kittery,  he  is  first  mentioned  in  a  land 
conveyance  dated  November  15,  1673.  He  married 
Bridget  Cutis,  a  daughter  of  Robert  Cutts,  one  of  the 
three  brothers  so  prominent  among  the  early  settlers 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Piscataqua.  In  what  way  Mr. 
Screven  was  led  to  adopt  Baptist  views  is  not  known. 
A  letter  which  Humphrey  Churchwood  addressed  to 
his  Baptist  brethren  in  Boston,  January  3,  1682,  re- 
veals the  fact  that  others  in  Kittery  besides  Mr. 
Screven  and  himself  had  become  Baptists.  They 
were  "  a  competent  number,"  he  says,  "  of  well-estab- 
lished people,  whose  hearts  the  Lord  had  opened/' 
who  professed  "  their  hearty  desire  to  the  following 
of  Christ  and  to  partake  of  all  his  holy  ordinances 

51 


52       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    EXGLAND. 

according  to  his  blessed  institutions  and  divine  aj)- 
pointment."  ^  It  was  their  wish,  accordingly,  that  a 
gospel  church  should  be  organized  in  Kittery,  and 
they  made  the  request  that  Mr.  Screven,  "  who  is, 
through  free  grace,  gifted  and  endued  with  the  spirit 
of  prophecy  to  preach  the  gospel,"  should  be  ordained 
to  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry  and  intrusted 
with  the  pastoral  oversight  of  the  church. 

Mr.  Screven,  after  his  arrival  in  Boston,  made 
"  trial  of  his  gifts  "  before  the  church,  and  received 
the  approbation  of  its  members  as  ''a  man  whom 
God  hath  qualified  and  furnished  with  the  gifts  of  his 
Holy  Spirit  and  grace,  enabling  him  to  open  and 
apply  the  word  of  God.''  The  church  did  not  pro- 
ceed to  ordination,  but  Mr.  Screven  was  appointed, 
approved,  and  encouraged  "  to  exercise  his  gift  in  tlie 
place  where  he  lives,  or  elsewhere,  as  the  Providence 
of  God  may  cast  him."  His  license  closed  with  these 
w^ords  :  "  and  so  the  Lord  help  him  to  eye  his  glory 
in  all  things,  and  to  walk  humbly  in  the  fear  of  his 
name." 

Meanwhile  the  members  of  the  little  company  of 
Baptists  in  Kittery  were  subjected  to  many  annoy- 
ances. Before  Mr.  Screven's  return  the  brethren  were 
threatened  with  fines  and  other  penalties  if  they  at- 
tended the  Baptist  meeting  any  longer,  and  Church- 
wood    Avas    summoned    before   the    magistrate,    with 

1  Backus,  "Hist,  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England,"  Vol.  I., 
p.  401,  noto. 


BAPTISTS    OF   OTHER   NEW  ENGLAND   STATES.    53 

whom  he  had  a  long  discussion  concerning  infant 
baptism.^ 

On  his  return  to  Kittery,  Mr.  Screven  entered  upon 
his  work.  The  opposition,  which  during  his  absence 
had  been  manifested  toward  his  associates,  was  now 
transferred  to  him.  From  an  entry  in  the  earlv 
records  of  the  province,  without  date,  it  appears  that 
in  a  short  time  he  was  summoned  before  the  provin- 
cial authorities  to  answer  to  some  "  rumors  and 
reports  from  a  common  fame  of  some  presumptuous, 
if  not  blasphemous  speeches,  about  the  holy  ordinance 
of  baptism."  At  the  examination  that  followed,  Mr. 
Screven  said  he  regarded  infant  baptism  as  ''  no  ordi- 
nance of  God,  but  an  invention  of  men."  As  a  result 
of  the  examination,  he  was  required  to  give  a  bond 
of  one  hundred  pounds  to  appear  at  the  next  Court 
of  Pleas  or  go  to  jail.  He  chose  the  latter  alterna- 
tive, but  how  long  he  remained  in  jail  is  not  known. 
He  was  brought  before  the  Court  at  York,  April  12, 
1682,  where  he  was  fined  ten  pounds,  and  forbidden 
to  "  keep  any  private  exercise  at  his  own  house,  or 
elsewhere  upon  ye  Lord's  Hay,  either  in  Kittery  or 
any  other  place  within  ye  limits  of  this  province." 
He  was  also  directed  to  observe  the  public  worship 
of  God  at  the  parish  church,  or  suffer  the  penalties 
which  the  law  imposed. 

Mr.  Screven  seems  to  have  paid  no  heed  to  this 

*  Manuscript  letter,  by  Church  wood,  "  To  the  Church  of  Christ 
at  Boston,"  and  in  the  possession  of  the  author  of  this  vohime. 


64      HISTOHY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

order,  and  June  28,  1682,  his  case  was  brought  before 
a  General  Assembly  of  the  province  held  at  York,  at 
which  he  was  convicted  of  contempt  of  His  Majesty's 
authority  in  refusing  to  submit  to  the  direction  of  the 
Court  prohibiting  him  from  holding  public  meetings. 
He  was  offered  his  liberty,  however,  and  the  privilege 
of  returning  to  his  family,  if  "  he  would  forbear  such 
kind  of  disorderly  and  turbulent  practices,  and  amend 
for  the  future."  But,  on  his  refusal  to  withdraw 
from  the  work  to  whicii  he  believed  he  had  been  di- 
vinely called,  it  was  ordered  that  he  should  stand 
committed  until  the  judgment  of  the  court  should  be 
"fulfilled."  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  sen- 
tence of  the  court  was  not  carried  into  execution,  for 
the  record  closes  with  these  words :  "  After  which 
said  Screven,  coming  into  court,  did,  in  the  presence 
of  the  said  Court  and  president,  promise  and  engage 
to  depart  out  of  this  province  within  a  very  short 
time."  1 

Evidently  ]Mr.  Screven  and  his  associates  had  now 
come  to  tlie  conclusion  that  if  at  Kittery  they  could 
not  have  freedom  to  worship  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  their  consciences,  they  must  seek  that  free- 
dom elsewhere.  As  yet,  however,  tliey  had  no  church 
organization,  and,  doubtless,  it  was  deemed  desirable 
that  such  an  organization  should  be  effected  before 
their  departure,  and  while  they  could  -have  the  assist- 
ance of  their  Boston  bretliren.  Accordingly,  Septem- 
i  "Early  Kecords  of  tlie  Province  of  Maine,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  23. 


BAPTISTS   OF  OTHER   NEW  ENGLAND  STATES.    00 

ber  13,  1682,  Mr.  Screven  sent  a  letter  to  the  Baptist 
church  in  Boston,  requesting  the  church  to  send  its 
pastor  and  delegates  to  aid  in  the  organization  of  a 
church  and  in  ordaining  its  pastor. 

To  this  request  the  church  acceded,  and  the  pastor 
of  the  church.  Rev.  Isaac  Hull,  and  two  of  his 
brethren,  Thomas  Skinner  and  Philip  Squire,  made 
their  way  to  Kittery.  The  church  was  organized,  and 
Mr.  Screven  ordained  September  25,  1682.  The 
Confession  of  Faith  adopted  was  that  '"put  forth  by 
the  elders  and  brethren  of  the  churches  in  London 
and  the  county  in  England  dated  in  ye  year  1682." 
The  record  of  the  council  closes  with  these  words : 

'"'  And  they  having  given  themselves  up  to  the 
Lord  and  to  one  another  in  a  solemn  covenant  to 
walk  as  said  covenant  may  express,  and  also  having 
chosen  their  officers  whom  they,  with  us,  have  ap- 
pointed and  ordained,  we  do,  therefore,  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  by  the  appointment  of  this 
church,  deliver  them  to  be  a  church  of  Christ  in  the 
faith  and  order  of  the  gospel."  A  copy  of  the  cove- 
nant signed  by  ten  brethren,  and  acknowledged  by 
seven  sisters  also,  was  appended  to  this  record. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  Mr.  Screven  and  his 
associates,  in  part  at  least,  left  Kittery  not  long  after 
the  organization  of  the  church.  Time,  however, 
would  be  required  for  the  consideration  of  a  desirable 
location,  as  well  as  for  the  disposal  of  property,  and 
for  providing  means  of  transportation  when  tlie  mat- 


56       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

ter  of  location  had  been  settled.  It  is  certain  from  the 
court  records  that  Mr.  Screven  and  his  "  Baptist  com- 
pany "  were  at  Kittery  as  late  as  October  9,  1683,  for 
under  that  date,  in  the  record  of  a  Court  held  at  Wells, 
occurs  an  entry  from  wiiich  it  appears  that  Mr. 
Screven  was  brought  before  the  Court  for  "  not  depart- 
ing this  province,  according  to  a  former  confession  of 
Court  and  his  own  choice."  The  Court  accordingly 
reaffirmed  the  sentence  of  June  28,  1682,  as  "in  full 
force  against  the  said  William  Screven  during  the 
Court's  pleasure." 

This  order  seems  not  to  have  hastened  the  de- 
parture of  Screven  and  his  associates.  At  the  Court 
held  at  Wells,  May  27,  1684,  this  action  was  taken  : 
"An  order  to  be  sent  for  William  Screven  to  appear 
before  ye  General  Assembly  in  June  next."  ^  As  no 
further  citation  for  Mr.  Screven  appears  in  the  court 
records,  it  is  probable  that  he  and  his  little  company 
had  now  made  all  their  preparations  for  removal,  and, 
before  the  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly arrived,  had  left  their  homes  on  the  Piscataqua 
for  a  new  settlement,  where  they  could  enjoy  undis- 
turbed freedom  to  worship  God  in  accordance  with 
their  religious  convictions.^ 

1  "  Early  Eecords  of  the  Province  of  Maine,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  173. 

^  A  list  of  those  who  accompanied  Mr.  Screven  has  not  been 
preserved,  and  the  early  records  of  the  church  in  Charleston 
were  destroyed  by  an  inundation  in  1752.  Mrs.  Screven's 
mother,  after  the  death  of  Robert  Cutts  in  1674,  married  Captain 
Francis  Champernowne.     In  a  letter  written  at  Kittery,  Sep- 


BAPTISTS   OF   OTHER   i^EW  ENGLAND   STATES.   57 

The  place  selected  for  the  settlement  was  on  the 
Cooper  River,  not  far  from  the  present  site  of  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina.  Mr.  Screven  called  the  name  of 
this  settlement  Somerton,  the  name  probably  of  his 
old  home  in  England.  Among  the  signers  of  a  Con- 
fession of  Faith  adopted  in  1656  by  Baptist  churches 
in  the  county  of  Somerset  and  adjacent  counties,  was 
a  William  Screven,  of  Somerton.  It  has  been  in- 
ferred that  this  William  Screven  was  the  one  who  or- 
ganized the  church  at  Kittery  and  established  the 
colony  at  Somerton.  But  the  William  Screven  who 
organized  the  church  at  Kittery,  and  established  the 
colony  at  Somerton,  did  not  become  a  Baptist  church- 
member  until  June  21,  1681.  It  is  possible  that  the 
William  Screven  who  signed  the  Confession  of  1656, 
was  the  father  of  William  Screven  of  Kittery ;  and 

tember  7,  1682,  to  Thomas  Skinner,  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Bos- 
ton, Mr.  Screven  says:  "Besides,  my  mother-in-law  hath  de- 
sired to  follow  Christ  in  that  ordinance."  Whether  his  mother- 
in-law  was  baptized  at  Kittery  at  the  time  of  the  organization  of 
the  church,  is  not  known.  Captain  Champernowne  died  in  1687, 
leaving  one-half  of  Champernowne  Island  to  his  widow  and  one- 
half  to  her  daughter,  who  had  married  Humphrey  Elliot.  He 
also  remembered  in  his  will  the  other  children  of  his  wife  by 
her  first  husband,  including  Mrs.  Screven;  while  Champer- 
nowne Elliot,  son  of  Humphrey  Elliot,  he  made  his  heir.  Mrs. 
Champernowne  and  Humphrey  Elliot  subsequently  removed  to 
South  Carolina,  where  they  continued  to  reside  and  where  they 
died.  After  the  death  of  Humphrey  Elliott,  which  occurred  be- 
fore 1700,  his  widow  married  Kobert  Witherick,  also  of  South 
Carolina.  Robert,  son  of  Humphrey  Elliott,  married  February 
6,  1720,  Elizabeth  Screven,  a  daughter  of  Rev.  William  Screven. 


58      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   E^i GLAND. 

the  fact  that  the  latter  gave  the  name  of  Somerton  to 
his  settlement  on  the  Cooper  River,  affords  at  least  a 
a  plausible  ground  for  the  inference. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  the  Baptist  church  in 
Kittery  was  transferred  from  Maine  to  South  Caro- 
lina. If  this  was  not  the  fact,  another  church  was 
organized  bv  Mr.  Screven,  and  was  the  first  of  all 
the  Baptist  churches  in  the  South.  Charleston  had 
begun  to  attract  colonists  about  ten  years  before  Mr. 
Screven  and  his  company  established  tliemselves  at 
Somerton.  Its  facilities  for  commerce  did  not  escape 
the  notice  of  these  colonists  from  Maine,  and  before 
the  year  1693,  the  larger  portion  of  the  members  of 
the  church  had  removed  from  Somerton  to  "  Charles- 
town.''  It  became  necessary,  therefore,  that  the 
meetings  of  the  church  should  be  transferred  thither 
also,  and  in  1699  or  1700,  a  house  of  worship  was 
erected  on  the  lot  of  land  on  which  the  First  Baptist 
Church  in  Charleston  now  stands.  Mr.  Screven,  at 
this  time,  was  more  than  seventy  years  of  age,  and  he 
resigned  his  pastoral  office,  although  he  did  not 
wholly  Avithdraw  from  ministerial  service.  Indeed, 
in  1706,  as  has  already  been  stated,  he  was  invited  to 
take  the  pastoral  oversight  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Boston.  This  call  he  Avas  obliged  to  decline.  He 
died  at  Georgetown,  S.  C,  Oct.  10,  1713,  at  the  com- 
pletion of  his  eighty-fourth  year. 

After  the  departure  of  Rev.  William  Screven  and 
his  Baptist  company  from  Kittery,  no  attem^it  was 


BAPTISTS    OF   OTHER   NEW  ENGLAND   STATES.    59 

made  to  organize  another  Baptist  church  in  the  Pro- 
vince of  Maine  for  more  tlian  four-score  years.  Rev. 
Hezekiah  Smith,  in  1765,  in  connection  with  -whose 
labors  the  First  Baptist  Ciiurch  in  Haverhill,  Mass., 
^vas  organized,  was  the  first  Baptist  minister  to  take 
up  the  work  from  which  Mr.  Screven  had  with- 
drawn. Having  preached  in  Brentwood  and  New- 
market, June  22,  1767,  he  entered  in  his  diary  on  the 
following  day,  this  record  :  "  In  the  forenoon,  at  tlie 
Rev.  Mr.  Hutchinson's,  at  Lee,  from  Hosea  4  :  17; 
and  in  the  afternoon  at  Mr.  Hyde's,  at  Madbury, 
from  John  9:7;  in  the  evening  at  Dr.  Lord's,  at 
Berwick,  from  Col.  1  :  9."  ^  On  the  following  day,  he 
preached  at  Deacon  Kimball's,  in  Kennebunk,  and 
continuing  his  journey,  he  preached  at  Freetown  and 
Gorham.  At  Gorham,  on  Sunday,  he  baptized  three 
candidates.  Then  he  proceeded  to  Falmouth,  where 
he  gave  an  exhortation  at  Mr.  Burnham's.  Return- 
ing to  Gorham,  he  preached  and  baptized  two  candi- 
dates, "  after  Mr.  Clark  had  preached  from  Gen. 
17:7,  and  spriukled  twenty  odd  children."  On  the 
following  day,  July  1,  he  baptized  three  candidates  in 
the  Saco  River,  at  the  Block  House.  Continuing  his 
homeward  journey,  he  preached  and  baptized  in  San- 
ford,  preached  also  in  Berwick,  and  on  his  report  to 
his  church  in  Haverhill,  the  persons  whom  he  had 
baptized  were  received  to  membership  in  that  church. 
In  Mr.  Smith's  diary,  there  is  no  record  of  a  visit 
»  Guild,  "  Chaplain  Smith,"  p.  117. 


60      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN  NEW    ENGLAND, 

to  the  District  of  Maine,  in  1768  ;  but  we  know  that 
he  made  such  a  visit,  accompanied  by  several  of  the 
members  of  l)is  church,  inchiding  two  of  its  deacons. 
June  20,  1768,  he  organized  a  Baptist  church  in  Gor- 
ham.  A  few  days  hiier,  he  organized  a  Baptist  church 
of  seventeen  members  in  Berwick.  Mr  Smith  and  his 
associates  returned  to  Haverhill,  and  reported  to  the 
church  the  results  of  their  visit,  and  the  church  voted 
to  approve  of  their  proceedings  in  constituting  the 
two  churches. 

In  the  Gorham  Cliurch,  difficulties  at  length  arose 
that  finally  led  to  its  dissolution.  But  a  church  was 
organized  at  Sanford,  September  16,  1772,  of  which 
Rev.  Pelatiah  Tingley  became  pastor.  About  the 
middle  of  July,  1773,  a  request  was  received  from  a 
number  of  Baptists  in  Lebanon,  for  the  appointment 
of  a  committee  of  the  Sanford  Church  to  consult  with 
them  as  to  the  propriety  of  their  uniting  with  that 
church,  or  of  organizing  a  Baptist  church  in  Lebanon. 
Such  a  committee  was  appointed,  and  in  accordance 
with  their  advice,  the  Lebanon  brethren  united  with 
the  Sanford  Ciuirch.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Sanford 
Church,  July  2,  1774,  Tozier  Lord,  a  member  of  the 
"  branch  church  at  Lebanon,"  stated  that  it  was  the 
desire  of  the  brethren  there,  "  to  embody  in  a  church 
by  themselves,'"'  and  it  was  voted  to  grant  their  de- 
sire. But  if  a  Baptist  church  was  organized  in 
Lebanon  at  that  time,  the  record  has  not  been  pre- 
served. 


BAPTISTS   OF  OTHER   NEW  ENGLAND   STATES.    61 

Connecticut. — In  1635  and  1636,  a  company  of 
English  Puritans  from  Massachusetts,  became  tlie 
founders  of  Connecticut.  As  in  Massachusetts,  so 
here,  there  were  individuals  very  early  in  the  history 
of  the  colony,  who  held  Baptist  views  concerning 
both  the  act  and  subjects  of  baptism.  According  to 
the  records  of  the  New  Haven  Church,  the  wife  of 
Gov.  Theophilus  Eaton  rejected  infant  baptism.  Rev. 
Jolin  Davenport's  efforts  to  lead  her  to  accept  his  own 
views  were  friritless,  and  she  "  continued  as  before." 
There  were  others,  also,  w'ho  were  quiet  in  their  dis- 
sent, and  so  were  unmolested  by  the  civil  authorities. 
The  development  of  Baptist  principles  in  the  State 
was  due  to  the  influence  of  Rhode  Island  Baptists. 
The  first  instances  in  Connecticut  of  immersion  on  a 
personal  profession  of  faith  are  said  to  have  occurred 
in  the  vicinity  of  New  London,  in  1674.  Baptist 
ministers  from  Rhode  Island  administered  the  ordi- 
nance, and  the  candidates  were  received  to  church  fel- 
lowship in  that  State. 

Tiie  first  Baptist  church  in  Connecticut  was  organ- 
ized in  Groton,  in  1705.  In  the  previous  year,  a  few 
scattered  Baptists  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  State 
had  petitioned  the  General  Court  for  permission  to 

hold  meetino;s  and  form  a  church.    No  notice,  it  seems 
.      .  .  .  .        .  ' 

was   taken    of  this   petition,    and   its   signers   a  few 

months  later  invited  Rev.  Valentine  Wightman,  of 

Rhode   Island,  to  organize  the  church  and   serve  as 

its  ]>astor.     Mr.  Wigittman  Mas  a  man  of  deep  piety. 


62      HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

possessed  mental  abilities  of  a  high  order,  and  under 
his  leadership  this  little  band  of  Baptists  increased  in 
numbers  and  influence.  In  common  with  their 
brethren  elsewhere,  the  Baptists  in  Groton  were  sub- 
jected to  many  annoyances  from  the  Standing  Order, 
but  these  were  light  compared  with  those  experienced 
in  other  parrs  of  the  State.  A  company  of  Baptists 
and  their  minister  were  thrown  into  the  New  London 
county  jail  for  holding  a  religious  meeting  "contrary 
to  law  on  the  Sabbatli  Day."  Others  were  confined  in 
Hartford  prison.  In  some  cases  venerable  ministers 
were  flogged  at  the  town  post,  or  at  the  tail  of  an  ox 
cart.  In  various  ways  Baptists  were  ignominiously 
treated  because  of  their  religious  views. 

A  second  Baptist  church  in  Connecticut  was  organ- 
ized in  1710,  in  Waterford,  then  a  part  of  New  Lon- 
don. In  this  church,  and  also  in  the  church  in  Gro- 
ton, singing  in  connection  with  public  worship  was  in- 
troduced before  1730,  and  to  promote  it  Mr.  Wight- 
man  published  a  small  pamphlet.  In  Wallingford,  a 
number  of  people  became  Baptists  in  1731,  and 
united  with  the  Baptist  church  in  New  London  ;  but 
in  1735,  they  organized  within  the  limits  of  their  own 
township,  a  church  of  which,  in  1739,  Mr.  John 
Merriam  was  ordained  pastor.  A  fourth  Baptist 
church  in  Connecticut  was  org^anized  in  Southino-ton 
in  1738,  but  was  known  as  the  Farmington  Church 
until  about  the  year  1800.  Rev.  John  Merriam,  who 
had  been  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Wallingford  Churcii, 


BAPTISTS   OF   OTHER   NEW  ENGIjAND   STATES.    63 

became  pastor  of  this  younger  church  in  Southington. 
So  far  as  is  known  these  were  the  only  Baptist 
churches  organized  in  Connecticut  prior  to  1740.^ 

The  Great  Awakening,  in  Connecticut  as  elsewhere, 
aided  the  Baptist  movement.  Those  who  were  con- 
verted in  the  powerful  revivals  that  occurred  at  dif- 
ferent points  at  tiiat  time,  found  that  the  churches  of 
the  Standing  Order  had  little  sympathy  with  evangel- 
istic work.  The  General  Association  of  Connecticut, 
in  1745,  put  on  record  the  declaration  that  "if  Mr. 
Whitefield  should  make  his  progress  through  this 
government,  it  would  by  no  means  be  advisable  for 
any  of  our  ministers  to  admit  him  into  their  pulpits, 
or  for  any  of  our  people  to  attend  upon  his  preaching 
and  administrations."  Manv  in  the  Cong-reo-ational 
churches,  therefore,  who  sought  union  with  those  who 
manifested  a  warm,  earnest,  evangelical  spirit,  found 
tiieir  way  into  Baptist  churches,  and  in  a  few  instances 
New  Light,  or  Separate  churches,  became  Baptist 
churches.  A  parish  minister  in  Stonington,  said  in 
1767  :  "  Not  less  than  two-thirds  of  the  congregation 
formerly  under  ray  care,  have  withdrawn  from  my 
ministry  and  formed  themselves  into  Baptist  and  Sep- 
arate churches."     The    Baptist    membership    in    the 

^  The  Baptist  church  in  East  Lyme  is  said  to  have  been  organ- 
ized in  1705.  "This  may  be  the  date  of  a  parish  church  of  the 
Standing  Order,"  says  Prof.  B.  0.  True  ;  "  but  it  is  certain  that 
there  was  no  Baptist  church  in  the  town  of  Lyme  until  many 
years  later."— Address  at  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  Meriden,  Conn.,  Oct.  7,  1886,  p.  16. 


61      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

colony,  accordingly,  was  considerably  increased  by  the 
Great  Awakening,  and  the  Baptist  churches  had  a 
growing  influence  in  the  religious  development  of  the 
people.  "  The  Baptist  fathers  zealously  attacked  the 
idea  of  a  wordly  and  an  avowedly  unconverted 
cluirch-raembership.  They  were  jealous  of  any  ap- 
proach to  official  dictation  on  the  part  of  ministers. 
In  their  rebound  against  ministerial  rates,  and  pos- 
sibly inspired  by  the  characteristic  economy  of  those 
earlier  days,  many  laymen  were  prejudiced  against 
fixed  salaries  and  what  they  termed  a  '  hireling  minis- 
try,' and  it  should  be  frankly  admitted  that  witli  some 
there  was  a  prejudice  against  an  educated  ministry, 
and  with  too  many  there  was  a  tendency  to  undervalue 
educational  advantages,  as  calculated  to  develop  an 
unholy  ambition,  and  reliance  on  human  rather  than 
divine  agencies.  For  this  attitude  there  were  manifest 
historic  reasons.  And  had  the  choice  been  necessary, 
as  at  one  time  seemed  possible,  between  the  plain,  un- 
learned men  who  labored  with  their  own  hands  as 
farmers  or  mechanics,  and  insisted  upon  their  abso- 
lute dependence  upon  the  Holy  Spirit  in  all  their  reli- 
gipus  ministrations,  and  the  technically  trained  minis- 
ters, many  of  whom  placed  little  stress  upon  personal 
experience  of  Christian  truth,  who  would  hesitate  to 
say  that  the  men  called  of  God  to  preach  in  his  name, 
though  without  the  stamp  of  the  schools,  and  without 
the  ordination  or  fellowship  of  the  churches  estab- 
lished by  law,  would  have  proved  better  ministers  of 


BAPTISTS   OF    OTHER    NEW  ENGLAND   STATES.    65 

Jesus  Christ  than  those  who,  with  full  academic 
honors  and  scholastic  training,  entered  upon  the 
ministry  as  a  learned  and  honorable  profession,  but 
were  without  any  absorbing  passion,  overmastering 
love,  or  abiding  desire  to  serve  and  save  their  fellow- 
men  ? "  ^  Such  were  the  early  Baptist  preachers  of 
Connecticut,  and  tlieir  influence  can  be  distinctly 
traced  in  the  history  of  the  churches  organized  before 
the  Revolution. 

New  Hampshire. — Rev.  Hanserd  Knollys  came 
from  England  to  Boston  in  1638,  and  soon  settled  at 
Piscataqua,  afterward  Dover,  N.  H.,  where  he  organ- 
ized a  church.  It  has  been  held  that  at  this  time  Mr. 
Knollys  was  a  Baptist,  and  that  iu  a  subsequent  divi- 
sion of  the  church,  Mr.  Knollys'  section  "  held  Baptist 
sentiments."  Mr.  Knollys'  residence  in  Dover  termi- 
nated in  September,  1641,  and  as  during  this  time  he  de- 
clared his  opposition  to  infant  baptism.  Baptist  prin- 
ciples were  doubtless  working  in  his  mind  ;  but  he  did 
not  avow  himself  a  Baptist  until  some  time  after  his  re- 
turn to  England.  Cotton  Mather's  statement  in  his 
''Ecclesiastical  History  of  New  England,"  including 
Knollys  among  the  "  some  godly  Anabaptists  "  who 
emigrated  to  New  England  in  that  early  period  of  its 
history,  was  doubtless  due  to  Mr.  Knollys'  subsequent 
position  as  a  Baptist.     He  was  ordained  pastor  of   a 

'  Prof.  B.  O.  True,  Address  at  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  Meriden,  Conn.,  Oct.  7,  1886,  p.  26. 

E 


66       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

Baptist  church  in  London  in  1645,  and  held  a  promi- 
nent position  in  the  denomination  until  his  death, 
September  19,  1691. 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  New  Hampshire  was  or- 
ganized at  Newton,  in  1750.  Difficulties  afterward 
arose,  and  the  church,  in  1765,  was  disbanded,  and 
many  of  the  members  united  with  the  Baptist  church 
in  Haverhill,  Mass. 

Mr.  Smith,  when  at  Haverhill,  in  1764,  crossed 
over  into  New  Hampshire,  and  preaclied  at  New  Salem, 
Plaistow,  and  Newton.  In  May,  1767,  he  preached 
in  Hampstead,  Chester,  Hopkinton,  Dunbarton,  and 
Deerfield,  and  in  the  following  month  at  Portsmouth, 
Brentwood,  Newmarket,  Lee,  and  Madbury.  At  Brent- 
wood, Augi^st  6,  hepreachedand baptized.  AtDeerfield, 
June  14,  1770,  he  baptized  the  Congregational  minis- 
ter. Rev.  Eliphalet  Smith,  his  wife,  and  twelve  others, 
whom  on  the  same  day  he  "  embodied  into  a  Baptist 
church."  At  Epping,  June  16,  he  baptized  Dr.  Samuel 
Shepard,  a  physician,  and  six  others.  He  went  to 
Newmarket,  June  18,  where  he  preached  in  Mr.  Ewer's 
meeting  house,  and  had  a  conference  with  some  of  the 
members  who  desired  to  be  baptized  ;  but  the  church, 
as  a  church,  would  not  give  him  "  leave  to  baptize 
their  members."  At  Stratham,  June  20,  he  examined 
a  number  for  baptism,  and  after  a  sermon  he  adminis- 
tered the  ordinance  to  fourteen  persons.  On  the  fol- 
lowing day  he  returned  to  Haverhill,  having  baptized 
thirty-eight  candidates  iti  the  seven  days,  and  preached 


BAPTISTS    OF    OTHER    NEW  ENGLAND   STATES.    67 

seven  sermons.  He  preached  at  Stratham,  July  18, 
of  the  same  year,  and  there  baptized.  After  the  bap- 
tism he  had  a  debate  on  baptism  with  Rev.  Joseph 
Adams,  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in  Strat- 
ham, and  at  the  close  of  the  debate  he  organized  a  Bap- 
tist church  of  fourteen  members.  Mr.  Smith  preached 
again  at  Stratham,  September  29,  1770,  and  the  con- 
gregation was  so  large  that  he  was  obliged  to  hold  the 
service  in  the  open  air.  He  visited  Exeter,  October 
9,  and  after  preaching  baptized  another  Congregational 
minister.  Rev.  Joseph  Sanborn,  of  Epping,  and  five 
others.  It  was  estimated  that  there  were  two  thousand 
people  at  the  water  side,  as  it  was  the  first  time  the  or- 
dinance had  been  administered  at  that  place.  Dr.  Shep- 
ard  Avas  ordained  at  Stratham,  September  25,  1771. 
The  ordination  sermon  was  preached  by  Mr.  Stillman, 
of  Boston,  the  charge  was  by  Mr.  Smith,  of  Haverhill, 
and  tlie  hand  of  fellowship  by  President  Manning,  of 
Providence.  A  Baptist  church  was  organized  at 
Brentwood,  May  7,  1772,  which,  with  the  churches  in 
Str.atham  and  Nottingliam,  was  placed  under  the  pas- 
toral charge  of  Dr.  Shepard.  To  him  very  largely 
was  due  under  God  the  spread  of  Baptist  principles 
in  New  Hampshire.  In  North  wood,  which  was  largely 
settled  by  Baptists  from  Stratham  and  Epping,  a 
church  was  organized  July  27,  1773.  The  first  pas- 
tor of  the  church  was  Edmund  Pillsbury,  of  Soutli 
Hampton,  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Haver- 
hill, Mass. 


68      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

Vermont. — The  first  Baptist  church  in  Vermont 
was  organized  in  1768,  at  Shaftsbiuy.  Its  founders 
had  been  Separatists,  or  New  Lights,  who  had  removed 
from  Massachusetts,  and  settled  at  Bennington,  seven 
years  before.  Having  adopted  Baptist  principles,  they 
desired  to  enter  into  church  relations,  and  this  they 
could  do  elsewhere  under  more  favorable  circumstances. 
Accordingly  they  made  for  themselves  homes  in  Shafts- 
bury,  and  laid  the  foundations  of  a  Baptist  church, 
which  was  called  the  West  Church  for  many  years, 
and  extended  its  influence  into  adjacent  towns.  Little 
else  is  known,  however,  concerning  its  earlier  history. 

The  only  other  Baptist  churches  in  the  State  previous 
to  1780,  were  the  church  in  GKiilford,  organized  in 
1770,  a  second  church  in  the  same  town,  organized  in 
1772,  and  the  church  in  Pownal,  organized  in  1773. 
A  foothold  for  the  denomination  had  thus  been  se- 
cured, and  if  the  war  of  the  Revolution  had  not  fol- 
lowed, the  development  of  Baptist  churches  in  the  new 
and  growing  communities  of  the  Green  Mountain 
region  would  have  been  as  rapid,  doubtless,  as  in  other 
portions  of  New  England. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

BROWN  UNIVERSITY. — EDUCATIONAL  WORK. 

THE  influence  of  the  Great  Awakening  in  the  de- 
velopment of  Baptist  cluirches  in  New  England 
has  already  been  briefly  noticed.  The  Congregational 
churches  were  divided  by  the  new  movement.  For 
two  generations  they  had  not  known  a  revival  season. 
The  type  of  piety  in  these  churches  had  become  formal 
and  unemotional.  But  though  this  general  spiritual 
lethargy  now  came  to  an  end,  the  great  body  of  the 
Congregational  churches  opposed  a  revival  movement, 
and  only  a  minority  of  their  ministers  were  in  sympa- 
thy with  revivals.  Those  who  adopted  the  methods 
of  the  revivalists  were  called  New  Lights,  and  the 
few  Congregational  churches  that  welcomed  these 
methods  were  known  as  New  Light  churches.  But  the 
Baptists  throughout  New  England  were  in  hearty  ac- 
cord with  revival  efibrts.  They  rejoiced  in  the  labors 
of  Whitefield,  Edwards,  the  Tennents,  and  other 
evano^elists.  Manv,  therefore,  in  Couirreijational 
churches,  especially  in  the  New  Light  churches,  find- 
ing in  the  Baptists  those  who  were  actively  engaged 
in  promoting  revivals,  and  who  insisted  "  on  a  con- 
scious experience  of  a  change  in  a  man's  relations  to 

69 


70       HIsTOKY    OF   BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

God,  as  the  only  proof  that  a  man  was  truly  a  Chris- 
tian," left  the  churches  in  which  they  had  been  reared, 
and  united  with  Baptist  churches. 

But  a  difficulty  was  experienced  in  securing  suit- 
able pastors  for  these  growing  Baptist  churches. 
While  there  were  many  who  were  willing  to  accept 
piety  and  some  ability  in  exhortation  as  a  sufficient 
qualification  for  the  Christian  ministry,  there  were 
those  who  knew  the  value  of  literary  and  theological 
training  in  a  preparation  for  the  most  effective  minis- 
terial service.  But  the  only  colleges  in  New  England, 
Harvard  and  Yale,  were  opposed  to  the  new  move- 
ment, and  therefore  those  who  were  in  sympathy  with 
it  could  only  with  difficulty  overcome  their  extreme 
reluctance  to  send  ministerial  students  to  institutions 
of  learning  that  were  hostile  to  views  which  they  sa- 
credly held,  and  which  they  desired  to  see  extended. 
To  such  men  an  institution  founded  on  their  own  prin- 
ciples seemed  indispensable. 

In  1756,  Bev.  Isaac  Eaton  had  opened  at  Hope- 
well, N.  J.,  an  academy  for  the  education  of  Baptist 
young  men  for  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry. 
This  was  the  first  Baptist  institution  of  its  kind  in 
America,  and  to  it  many  bright  young  men  made 
their  way  and  enteied  upon  a  course  of  liberal  studies, 
by  which  they  were  fitted  for  positions  of  usefulness 
and  honor.  Hezekiah  Smith,  of  Haverhill,  Mass., 
whose  unwearied  labors  in  organizing  a  Baptist  church 
there,  and   in  organizing  Baptist  churches  in    New 


BEOWN    UNIVERSITY.  71 

Hampshire  and  the  District  of  Elaine,  have  briefly 
been  noticed,  pursued  preparatory  studies  at  this  acad- 
emy. Indeed,  its  value  to  the  denomination  was  such 
that  prominent  brethren  in  the  Philadelphia  Baptist 
Association  were  soon  led  to  consider  the  importance 
of  establishing  at  some  suitable  place.  North  or  Soutli, 
a  college  or  university,  "  which  should  be  principally 
under  the  direction  and  government  of  the  Baptists." 
"  At  first,  some  of  the  Southern  colonies  seemed  to 
bid  faii'est  to  answer  their  purpose,"  wrote  Morgan 
Edwards,  "  there  not  being  so  many  colleges  in  those 
colonies  as  in  the  northerly  ;  but  the  Northern  colo- 
nies, having  been  visited  by  some  of  the  Association, 
who  informed  them  of  the  great  increase  of  the  Bap- 
tist societies  of  late  in  those  parts,  and  that  the  Rhode 
Island  government  had  no  public  school  or  college  in 
it,  and  was  originally  settled  by  persons  of  the  Bap- 
tist persuasion,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  govern- 
ment remained  so  still,  there  was  no  longer  any  doubt 
but  that  was  the  most  suitable  place  to  carry  the  de- 
sign into  execution." 

The  Association  met  in  Philadelphia,  October  12, 
1762,  and  at  this  meeting  it  was  decided  that  it  was 
practicable  and  expedient  to  found  a  college  in  Rhode 
Island,  which  should  be  under  the  chief  direction  of  the 
Baptists,  and  *'in  which  education  might  be  promoted, 
and  superior  learning  obtained,  free  from  any  sectarian 
test."  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards  was  tiie  moderator  of 
this  Association,  and  the  details  of  the  plan  were  left 


72      HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

to  him,  as  the  original  mover  in  the  matter,  and  to 
Rev.  Samuel  Jones.  At  their  request.  Rev.  Jamss 
Manning,  a  recent  graduate  of  Princeton  College,  and 
Rev.  John  Sutton,  of  Elizabethtown,  N.  J.,  both  of 
whom  had  been  students  at  Mr.  Eaton's  academy,  pro- 
ceeded to  Rhode  Island.  Mr.  Manning  was  at  this 
time  twenty-five  years  of  age,  of  a  fine,  commanding 
appearance,  with  pleasant  manners  and  a  polished  ad- 
dress. Concerning  his  reception  in  Rhode  Island, 
and  the  success  of  his  mission  we  have  an  account  in 
his  own  words.  He  arrived  at  Newport,  with  his 
companion,  in  the  month  of  July,  1763,  and  at  once; 
laid  before  Col.  Gardner,  the  deputy  governor,  and 
several  other  Baptists,  the  plan  of  establisliing  in 
Rhode  Island  "  a  seminary  of  polite  literature,  subject 
to  the  government  of  the  Baptists."  The  deputy 
governor  thereupon  called  together  at  his  house  about 
fifteen  gentlemen,  all  Baptists,  who  requested  Mr. 
Manning  to  present  his  plan  in  writing.  On  the  fol- 
lowing day  a  rough  draft  was  produced  and  read,  and 
Hon.  Josias  Lyndon  and  Col.  Job  Bennett  were  ap- 
pointed lo  prepai'e  a  charter  which  should  be  laid 
before  the  next  General  Assembly  for  its  action. 
"  But  the  said  gentlemen,  pleading  unskillfulness 
touching  an  affair  of  this  kind,  requested  that  their 
trusty  friend,  Rev.  Ezra,  now  Dr.  Stiles,  might  be 
solicited  to  assist  them."  This  request  was  granted, 
and  the  drafting  of  the  charter  was  left  entirely  to  Dr. 
Stiles,  a  prominent  Congregational  minister  in  New- 


BEOWN   UNIVERSITY.  73 

port.  The  charter  was  drawn,  and  a  time  and  place 
were  appointed  for  its  consideration  by  the  friends  of 
the  college.  The  corporation  was  made  to  consist  of 
two  branches,  Fellows  and  Trustees.  The  trustees 
were  presumed  to  be  the  principal  branch  of  authority, 
and  as  nineteen  out  of  thirty-five  were  to  be  Baptists, 
the  Baptists,  without  further  examination,  seem  to 
have  considered  their  rights  amply  secured.  In  fact, 
Dr.  Stiles  was  told,  when  the  preparation  of  the 
charter  was  placed  in  his  hands,  that  the  Baptists 
"  were  to  have  the  lead  in  the  institution  and  the  gov- 
ernment thereof  forever."  But  when  the  charter  was 
read  in  the  Assembly,  and  a  vote  was  called  for, 
Daniel  Jenckes,  Esq.,  of  Providence,  asked  for  time  in 
which  to  ascertain  "  whether  it  was  agreeable  to  the 
design  of  the  first  movers  for  it."  The  examination, 
which  was  granted  with  some  opposition,  revealed  the 
fact  that  the  charter  had  been  "  so  artfully  constructed 
as  to  throw  the  power  into  the  Fellows'  hands, 
whereof  eight  out  of  twelve  were  Presbyterians,  usu- 
ally called  Congregationalists."  ^  Governor  Lyndon 
immediately  had  an  interview  with  Dr.  Stiles,  and 
asked  why  he  had  perverted  the  charter.  The  answer 
was :  "  I  gave  you  timely  warning  to  take  care  of 
yourselves,  for  that  we  had  done  so  with  regard  to  our 
society"  ;  and  he  finally  remarked,  "that  he  v/as  not 
the  rogue."     Mr.  William   EUery  assisted  Dr.  Stiles 

•  President  Manning,  in  Guild's  "History  of  Brown  Univer- 
sity," p.  123. 


74       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

in  the  preparation  of  the  charter,  and  it  is  easy  to 
infer  who  the  "  rogue "  was,  if  it  was  not  the 
former. 

When  the  Assembly  convened  again,  Mr.  Jenckes 
asked  that  the  matter  of  the  charter  be  postponed  to 
the  next  session,  adding,  "  that  the  motion  for  a  col- 
lege originated  with  the  Baptists,  and  was  intended  for 
their  use,  but  that  the  charter  in  question  was  not  at 
all  calculated  to  answer  their  purpose ;  and  since 
the  committee  intrusted  with  this  matter  by  the  Bap- 
tists professed  they  had  been  misled,  not  to  say  im- 
posed upon,  it  was  necessary  that  the  Baptists  in 
other  parts  of  the  colony  should  be  consulted  previous 
to  its  passing  into  a  law,  especially  as  few,  if  any  of 
them  except  himself,  had  seen  it ;  and  he  prayed  that 
he  might  have  a  copy  for  the  said  purpose,  which  he 
promised  to  return.  All  which  was  granted.  When 
the  charter  came  to  be  narrowly  inspected,  it  was  found 
to  be  by  no  means  answerable  to  the  design  of  the  agi- 
tators, and  the  instruction  given  to  the  committee. 
Consequently,  application  was  made  to  the  Philadel- 
phia Association,  where  the  thing  took  its  rise,  to 
have  their  mind  on  the  subject,  who  immediately  sent 
two  gentlemen  thither  to  join  with  the  Baptists  of  this 
colony  in  making  such  alterations  and  amendments  as 
were  to  them  specified  before  their  departure.  When 
they  arrived,  Dr.  Eyres,  of  Newport,  was  added  to 
the  committee,  and  they  happily  drafted  the  present 
charter,  and  lodged  it,  with  a  new  petition,  in  proper 


BROWN    DNIVEESITY.  75 

hands."  ^  In  the  new  draft  as  many  Baptists  were 
made  Fellows  as  Dr.  Stiles  had  given  to  the  Congre- 
gationalists.  It  was  required,  also,  that  the  president 
should  be  a  Baptist,  five  Baptists  were  added  to  the 
trustees,  and  more  Episcopalians  than  Congregation- 
alists  were  given  places  in  the  corporation.  Opposi- 
tion to  the  new  chai'ter  was  manifested  by  persons 
who  had  interested  themselves  in  the  charter  prepared 
by  Dr.  Stiles,  but  it  was  at  length  carried  by  a  large 
majority.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Yale  College  was 
founded  just  sixty-four  years  after  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, and  Brown  University  just  sixty-four  years 
after  Yale. 

As  the  foundation  of  the  new  enterprise,  the  cor- 
poration first  established  a  preparatory  school  at 
Warren.  Immediately  after  his  arrival  in  Newport, 
April  13,  1764,  Mr.  Manning  proceeded  to  Warren, 
where  he  was  followed  in  the  succeeding  week  by 
Mrs.  Manning  and  Rev.  Hezekiah  Smith.  As  the 
college  as  yet  had  no  funds,  it  was  arranged  that  Mr. 
Manning  should  take  the  pastorate  of  a  church  to  be 
established  there,  and  so  provide  for  his  livelihood 
until  the  corporation  should  be  able  to  assume  his  sup- 
port as  the  president  of  the  college.  There  were  at 
that  time  in  Warren  about  sixty  Baptists,  a  majority 
of  whom  were  members  of  the  church  in  Swansea. 


1"  Centennial  Discourse,"  by  President  Sears,  p.  15;  also 
appendix,  pp.  68-70.  Guild,  "History  of  Brown  University," 
pp.  129,  130. 


76      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

Mr.  Manning  accordingly  commenced  religious  ser- 
vices at  once,  and  also  opened  a  grammar  school.  A 
Baptist  church,  of  which  Mr.  Manning  became  pastor, 
\ras  organized  in  Warren,  November  15,  1764,  and 
on  the  first  Wednesday  in  September,  1765,  Mr. 
Manning  was  elected  "  president  of  the  college,  pro- 
fessor of  Ian  2;uap:es  and  other  branches  of  learnino;,''' 
and  the  college  was  formally  opened  with  a  single  stu- 
dent, afterward  Rev.  William  Rogers,  D.  T>.,  for 
many  years  Professor  of  Oratory  and  Belles-Lettres  in 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  But  funds  were 
necessary  to  meet  the  growing  wants  of  the  institution, 
and  in  1767,  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards  was  sent  to 
England  to  solicit  aid.  He  was  successful,  and  in  his 
subscription  book,  which  is  one  of  the  prized  posses- 
sions of  the  college,  are  found  the  names  of  Benjamin 
Franklin,  Benjamin  West,  Thomas  Peun,  Thomas 
Hollis,  Rev.  Dr.  Stennett,  Rev.  Dr.  Gill,  and  many 
others  interested  in  the  new  college.  Rev.  Hezekiah 
Smith  also  visited  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  and 
made  collections  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  first  commencement  of  the  college  was  held  in 
the  meeting  house  at  Warren,  September  7,  1769. 
Seven  young  men,  some  of  them  "  destined  to  fill  con- 
spicuous places  in  the  ap})roaching  struggle  for  inde- 
pendence," others  "  to  be  leaders  in  the  church  and 
distinguished  educators  of  youth,"  were  graduated, 
and  the  commencement  exercises  brought  together  a 
large  concourse  of  people  from  all  parts  of  the  colony. 


BROWN   UNIVEESITY.  77 

A  contemporary  chronicler  jilaced  on  record  the  fact 
that  both  the  jjresident  and  the  candidates  for  degrees 
were  dressed  in  clothing  of  American  manufacture. 

Up  to  this  time,  says  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards,  the 
college  "  was  for  the  most  part  friendless  and  money- 
less, and  therefore  forlorn,  insomuch  that  a  college 
edifice  was  hardly  thought  of"  But  the  commence- 
ment exercises  awakened  new  interest  in  the  institu- 
tion, while  the  frequent  remittances  from  England  led 
some  "  to  hope  and  many  to  fear  that  the  institution 
would  come  to  something  and  stand."  Then  a  building 
and  tlie  place  of  it  were  talked  of,  which  opened  a  new 
scene  of  troubles  and  contentions  that  had  well-nigh 
ruined  all.  Warren  was  at  first  agreed  on  as  a  proper 
situation,  where  a  small  wing  was  to  be  erected  in  the 
spring  of  1770,  and  about  eight  hundred  pounds, 
lawful  money,  was  raised  toward  affecting  it.  But 
soon  afterward,  some  who  were  unwilling  it  should  be 
there,  and  some  who  were  unwilling  it  should  be  any- 
where, did  so  far  agree  as  to  lay  aside  the  location, 
and  propose  that  the  county  which  should  raise  the 
most  money  should  have  the  college.  At  first,  four 
counties  contended  for  the  honor,  but  the  claimants 
were  soon  reduced  to  two.  Providence  and  Newport. 
The  competition  was  sharp,  but  by  a  vote  of  twenty- 
one  to  fourteen  was  decided  in  favor  of  Providence 
at  a  meeting  of  the  corporation,  February  7,  1770. 
Says  President  Manning:  *' The  people  had  raised 
four  thousand  pounds,  lawful   money,  taking  in  their 


78      HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

unconditional  subscription.  But  Providence  presented 
four  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty  pounds,  law- 
ful, and  advantages  superior  to  Newport  in  other 
respects."  ^ 

President  Manning,  Prof.  Howell,  and  the  stu- 
dents removed  to  Providence  soon  after  the  question 
of  location  was  settled,  and  for  a  while  the  upper  part 
of  the  brick  schoolhouse  on  Meeting  Street  was  used 
for  the  college  exercises.  The  foundations  of  the  first 
college  building,  now  known  as  University  Hall, 
were  laid  May  14,  1770,  on  a  lot  of  land  comprising 
about  eight  acres  on  high  ground  commanding  an  ex- 
tended prospect.  It  was  a  part  of  the  original  home 
lot  of  Chad  Brown,  the  associate  and  friend  of  Roger 
Williams,  and  the  "  first  Baptist  elder  in  Rhode 
Island."  The  commencement  exercises  during  the 
first  six  years  of  the  history  of  the  college  in  Provi- 
dence, were  held  in  the  church  of  which  Rev.  Jose}»h 
Snow  was  pastor. 

President  Manning  wrote  to  Rev.  John  C.  Ryland, 
of  Northampton,  England,  the  following,  bearing  the 
date  of  June  1,  1771  :  "  The  college  in  this  place  con- 
sists of  twenty-three  youths,  five  of  whom  are  to  leave 
us  in  tlie  fall ;  though  we  hope  to  have  some  additions 
at  that  time.  The  institution  calls  for  the  vigorous 
exertions  of  all  its  friends,  as  well  on  account  of  the 
smallness  of  its  funds  as  the  unreasonable  opposition 
made  against  it.  .  .  I  am  cheerful  under  the  hopes 
1  Guild,  "  Manning  and  Brown  University,"  p.  111. 


BKOWN   UNIVERSITY.  79 

of  its  rising,  at  some  future  period,  to  be  the  joy  of 
its  friends  and  the  denomination,  as  well  as  the  mor- 
tification of  its  ungenerous  enemies."  ^ 

In  February,  1772,  University  Hall  was  so  far 
completed  as  to  receive  the  students.  Opposition  to 
the  college  continued  to  be  manifested,  and  its  source 
is  indicated  by  President  Manning,  when  he  speaks 
of  "  the  inveterate  enmity  of  the  New  England  clergy," 
who  took  unwearied  pains  to  make  the  number  of 
students  as  small  as  possible.  "  But,"  he  adds,  "  thank 
God  they  don't  govern  the  world."  This  opposition, 
however,  soon  closed.  Says  President  Sears :  "  The 
well-known  elevation  of  the  president's  character, 
which  lifted  him  infinitely  above  all  intrigue  and  dis- 
honesty, made  it  impossible  for  such  enmity  to  con- 
tinue except  in  base  minds;  and  the  effect  of  the 
Revolution,  which  soon  followed,  was  to  disseminate 
the  principles  of  religious  liberty,  and  to  mitigate, 
though  not  at  once  wholly  to  destroy,  the  spirit  of  in- 
tolerance and  bigotry.  The  college  itself  contributed 
not  a  little  to  this  happy  result."  ^ 

1  "Manning  and  Brown  University,"  p.  187.  The  reply  to 
tbis  letter,  pp.  188  and  189,  shows  that  it  was  addressed  to  Rev. 
John  C.  Eylan4,  and  not  to  liis  son,  John  Ryland,  who  was  then 
nineteen  years  of  age. 

^  "Centennial  Discourse,"  p.  25. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ASSOCIATIONAL    RELATIONS. 

THE  Baptist  churches  of  Providence,  Newport, 
Swansea,  and  Kingston,  all  of  them  Six  Princi- 
ple churches,  united  in  a  yearly  meeting  about  the 
close  of  the  seventeenth  century.  This  meeting  was 
composed  of  elders  and  messengers  from  the  churches. 
In  1730,  there  were  thirteen  churches  connected  with 
the  meeting,  viz  :  One  in  Providence,  the  Second  in 
Newport,  two  in  Smithfield,  the  Second  in  Swansea, 
the  churches  in  Dartmouth,  Warwick,  North  King- 
ston, South  Kingston,  Scituate ;  also  the  church  in 
Groton,  and  the  church  in  New  Loudon,  Conn.,  and 
the  church  in  New  York.  In  the  progress  of  time, 
however,  some  of  the  churches  which  had  entered  into 
this  relation  became  extinct,  while  others  ceased  to 
maintain  the  peculiar  views  which  had  separated  them 
from  other  Baptists ;  but  the  meeting  was  in  exist- 
ence as  late  as  1764,  when,  instead  of  a  general  meet- 
ing, an  annual  Association  was  organized,  but  how 
long  it  continued  is  unknown.  Mr.  Backus,  writing 
in  1791,  refers  to  the  Six  Principle  Association  as 
the  Rhode  Island  Association,  embracing  the  Baptist 
churches  that  held  to  the  "  laying  on  of  hands  on 
80 


ASSOCIATIONAL   RELATIONS.  81 

every  member  as  the  term  of  their  communion,  and 
so  are  not  in  fellowship  with  our  churches."  * 

Verv  earlv  in  connection  with  his  work  at  Warren, 
President  Manning  was  led  to  consider  the  import- 
ance of  bringing  the  New  England  Baptist  churches, 
other  than  the  Six  Principle  churches,  into  closer  re- 
lations. The  Philadelphia  Association,  organized  in 
1707,  and  followed  by  an  Association  of  Baptist 
churches  organized  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  1751,  and 
another  at  Kehukee,  N.  C,  in  1765,  had  exerted  a 
powerful  influence  in  promoting  Baptist  interests  in  the 
Middle  States.  Such  an  Association  in  New  England, 
where  at  this  time,  according  to  Backus,  there  were 
fifty-five  Baptist  churches,  and  according  to  Morgan 
Edwards,  seventy,  could  hardly  fail  to  strengthen  and 
develop  the  Baptist  cause.  And  yet  the  undertaking 
was  not  an  easy  one.  The  Baptists  of  New  England 
made  much  of  the  independence  of  the  churches,  and 
were  unwilling  to  do  anything  that  would  place  them 
under  the  authority  of  another  body. 

First  of  all,  Mr.  Manning  submitted  the  matter  to 
his  own  church.  Subsequently  he  visited  pastors  and 
churches  in  other  places,  and  conferred  with  them  in 
reference  to  the  organization  of  an  Association.  As 
the  result  of  these  conferences,  a  meeting  was  ap- 
pointed at  Warren,  Sept.  8,  1767.  Ten  churches — 
Warren,  Rehoboth,  Haverhill,  Norton,  Bellingham, 

1  MS.  Hist,  of  the  Warren  Association,  in  the  archives  of  the 
Backus  Historical  Society. 

F 


82      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

First  Middleboro,  Cumberland,  First  Boston,  Second 
Boston,  and  Attleboro — were  represented  by  dele- 
gates, prominent  among  whom  were  President  Man- 
ning and  Hezekiah  Smith.  There  were  also  present 
from  the  Philadelphia  Association,  Rev.  John  Gano, 
Abel  Griffith,  and  Noah  Hammond.  E,ev.  John 
Gano  was  elected  moderator,  and  Rev.  Isaac  Backus, 
clerk.  The  moderator,  who  was  a  brother-in-law  of 
President  Manning,  opened  the  meeting  with  a  sermon 
from  Act  15  :  9.^ 

The  delegates  "  generally  manifested  a  good  will 
toward  this  attempt  for  promoting  the  union  and  wel- 
fare of  the  churches,"  says  Backus,  "  but  most  of  them 
thought  they  were  not  prepared  to  join  an  Associa- 
tion." They  were  not  only  unwilling  to  surrender  in 
the  least  the  independence  of  the  local  church,  but 
they  were  not  altogether  satisfied  with  the  plan  of 
organization,  which  was  borrowed  largely  from  that 
of  the  Philadelphia  Association  Mr.  Backus  was 
one  of  this  number.  Four  churches,  however, — War- 
ren, Haverhill,  Bellinghara,  and  Second  Middleboro, — 
entered  into  an  associational  relation,  and  the  Associa- 
tion received  its  name  from  the  church  with  which 
the  first  meeting  was  held. 

When  the  Association  met  at  Warren,  Sept.  13, 
1768,  the  Second  Middleboro  Church  withdrew  from 
its    fellowship.     Four    churches,    however, — Sutton, 

^  Backus,  "  History  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England,"  Vol.  II., 
pp.  154,  408. 


ASSOCIATIONAL   RELATIONS.  83 

Leicester,  Ware,  and  the  First  Church,  Boston, — 
joined  the  Association  at  this  session,  as  did  four 
others — Sturbridge,  Enfield,  Wilbraham,  and  Mon- 
tague— at  the  meeting  at  Warren  in  1769.  At  this 
time,  President  Manning  presented  a  plan  of  organi- 
zation, which  was  adopted.  This  was  designed  to 
meet  the  objections  that  had  been  made  hitherto,  and 
a  statement  was  added  with  reference  to  the  aims  and 
powers  of  the  Association,  which  rendered  the  move- 
ment less  exceptionable  to  some  of  the  churches : 

1.  "That  such  a  combination  of  churches  is  not 
only  prudent,  but  useful,  as  has  appeared  even  in 
America  by  the  experience  of  upwards  of  sixty  years. 
Some  of  the  uses  of  it  are :  union  and  communion 
among  themselves ;  maintaining  more  effectually  the 
order  and  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints;  having 
advice  in  cases  of  doubt,  and  help  in  distress ;  being 
more  able  to  promote  the  good  of  the  cause  and  be- 
coming important  in  the  eye  of  the  civil  powers,  as 
has  already  appeared  in  many  instances  on  this  conti- 
nent. 2.  That  such  an  Association  is  consistent  with 
the  independency  and  power  of  particular  churches, 
because  it  pretends  to  be  no  other  than  an  advisory 
council,  utterly  disclaiming  superiority,  jurisdiction, 
coercive  right,  and  infallibility."^  It  was  doubtless 
this  statement  that  led  Mr.  Backus  and  his  brethren 
of  tlie  First  Church  in  Middleboro,  at  the  meeting  in 
1770,  to  waive  their  objections  to  the  associational 
'  Guild,  "Manning  and  Brown  University,"  p.  78. 


84      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

movemeut.  "  They  waited,"  be  says,  '*  until  they 
could  be  satisfied  that  the  Association  did  not  assume 
any  jurisdiction  over  the  churches,  before  they  joined. 
And  they  now  joined  upon  the  express  condition  that 
no  complaint  should  ever  be  received  by  the  Associa- 
tion against  any  particular  church  that  was  not  of  the 
Association,  nor  from  any  censured  member  of  any 
of  our  churches."  ^  The  Third  Church  in  Middleboro, 
and  the  church  in  Ashfield,  also  joined  the  Associa- 
tion in  1770. 

At  the  opening  of  the  Revolution,  the  Warren 
Association  embraced  twenty-seven  churches,  with  a 
membership  of  thirteen  hundred  and  ninety-three. 
Throughout  the  struggle  with  the  mother  country 
the  Baptists  of  New  England,  in  common  with  their 
brethren  in  the  other  colonies,  were  true  to  the  patriot 
cause.  They  responded  to  the  call  to  arms,  and  re- 
joiced in  the  victory  which  was  finally  secured.  In 
an  address  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Warren 
Association  at  Charleston,  in  September,  1783,  the 
elders  and  brethren  gave  devout  expression  to  their 
feelings  on  the  return  of  peace  after  "a  long  and  very 
distressing  war."  Meanwhile,  however,  the  Associa- 
tion had  prospered.  At  the  close  of  the  war  there 
were  connected  with  the  Warren  Association  f  )rty- 
four  churches  with  three  thousand  five  hundred  and 
seventy  members. 

The  rapid  increase  of  Baptist  churches  and  Bap- 
1  Backus,  Vol.  II.,  p.  409,  note. 


ASSOCIATIONAL  RELATIONS.  85 

tist  church-members  continued  after  the  Revohition ; 
and  while,  at  the  close  of  the  century,  the  Warren 
Association  reported  ouly  the  same  number  of  churches 
as  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  with  about  the  same 
membership,  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  increase 
of  churches  had  made  necessary  the  organization  of 
other  Associations,  with  which  the  new  churches  and 
some  of  the  old  had  become  connected. 

The  churches  in  New  Hampshire  and  Maine  early 
desired  associational  fellowship,  but  they  were  too 
remote  from  the  Warren  Association  for  more  than 
an  occasional  visit.  Nor,  at  first,  were  there  enough 
Baptist  churches  in  either  State  to  warrant  the  form- 
ation of  an  Association.  In  1776,  however,  the 
churches  in  Berwick  and  Sanford,  in  the  district  of 
Maine,  united  with  the  church  in  Brentwood,  N. 
H.,  in  organizing  "  the  Brentwood  Conference." 
Out  of  this  Conference,  of  which  Dr.  Shepard,  of 
Brentwood,  and  Rev.  William  Hooper,  of  Berwick, 
were  the  principal  promoters,  grew  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Association  in  1785.  The  meeting  of  the  Con- 
ference in  1784,  was  at  Berwick.  Six  churches,  with 
nearly  four  hundred  members,  were  then  connected 
with  it.^  Of  the  eight  churches  then  comprising  the 
New  Hampshire  Association,  five — Berwick,  Wells, 

^  In  1785,  the  meeting  was  at  Northwood,  N.  H. ;  in  1786,  un- 
known ;  in  1787,  at  Brentwood,  N.  H. ;  in  1788,  in  Strathani, 
N.  H. ;  in  1789,  at  Berwick.  The  Minutes  of  1789 — an  imperfect 
copy,  however — are  in  the  possession  of  the  York  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation, and  are  tlie  earliest  tlie  writer  has  seen. 


86       HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

Sanford,  Coxhall  (Lyman),  and  Shapleigh — were  in 
the  district  of  Maine,  and  Brentwood,  Northwood, 
and  Gilmanton,  were  in  New  Hampshire.  The  total 
membership  was  four  hundred  and  seventy,  the  New 
Hampshire  churclies  having  two  hundred  and  forty- 
four  members,  or  a  little  more  than  one-half. 

In  the  summer  of  1782,  Eev.  Natlianiel  Lord,  of 
Wells,  on  his  way  from  the  islands  of  the  Kennebec 
where  he  had  held  religious  services,  stopped  in  Pot- 
terstown,  now  Bowdoinham,  and  preached.  A  revival 
had  been  in  progress  in  that  place  several  months. 
Among  Mr.  Lord's  hearers  was  James  Potter,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Congregational  church  in  Harpswell.  By 
his  study  of  the  Scriptures  he  had  been  led  to  embrace 
Baptist  views  as  to  the  subjects  and  acts  of  baptism  ; 
and  he  revealed  his  position  to  Mr.  Lord.  About  the 
same  time,  Mr.  J  ob  Macomber,  of  Middleboro,  Mass., 
came  into  the  district.  He  was  the  son  of  a  Congre- 
gational deacon,  but,  in  1772.  united  with  the  Bap- 
tist church  in  Middleboro,  of  which  Rev.  Isaac 
Backus  was  pastor.  He  was  licensed  by  the  church 
to  preach,  and  for  a  while  devoted  himself  to  mis- 
sionary work  in  Massachusetts.  He  had  served  in 
the  French  and  Indian  Wars,  and  according  to  tradi- 
tion, he  served  as  a  chaplain  during  most  of  the 
Revolutionary  War.  In  the  autumn  of  1782,  he 
came  into  the  District  of  Maine,  and  engaged  in  mis- 
sionary service.  In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Backus  he  referred 
to  the  spiritual  destitution  which   he   found.      Mr. 


ASSOCIATIONAL   RELATIONS.  87 

Backus  showed  this  letter  to  Isaac  Case,  a  young  man 
connected  with  the  Baptist  church  in  Dighton.  Mr. 
Case  had  already  engaged  in  Christian  work,  and  the 
needs  of  the  wilds  of  Maine,  as  outlined  in  this  letter, 
were  to  him  a  Macedonian  cry.  He  was  ordained 
September  10,  1783,  and  on  the  following  day  he  left 
his  home  in  Rehoboth,  and  started  on  his  journey 
eastward.  At  Haverhill,  he  called  to  see  Rev.  Hezekiah 
Smith,  and  October  19,  he  was  in  Gorham.  Thus  far 
he  had  found  a  resting  place  with  his  brethren  in  the 
Lord ;  but  at  Brunswick,  which  he  reached  October 
21,  he  was  obliged  to  tarry  over  night  at  the  public 
house.  Here,  at  New  Meadows,  he  met  James  Potter. 
''  When  I  heard  him  relate  his  exercises  of  mind 
to  visit  these  parts,"  says  Mr.  Potter,  "  I  rejoiced.  I 
heard  him  preach  with  eugagedness  and  becoming 
zeal  for  the  cause  of  truth,  and  glorified  God  on 
his  behalf.  I  rejoiced  that  the  Lord  had  sent  him 
amongst  us  to  preach  the  gospel,  where  the  harvest 
was  so  great,  and  laborers  so  few."  ^  Mr.  Potter 
joined  Mr.  Case  and  Job  Macomber  in  evangelistic 
work. 

The  Revolutionary  War  had  now  come  to  a  close. 
To  attract  soldiers  and  others  to  Maine,  Massachusetts 
offered  to  settlers  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land 
upon  the  rivers  and  navigable  waters  of  the  District 
at  one  dollar  per  acre,  or  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
elsewhere  to  any  one  who  would  clear  sixteen  acres 
1  Potter's  "Narration,"  p.  21. 


»8        HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

in  four  years.  Many  Revolutionary  soldiers  availed 
themselves  of  this  offer,  and  tne  population  of  the 
District  was  rapidly  increased. 

In  the  autumn  of  1783,  Mr.  Macomber  took  up  a 
farm  in  Bowdoinham,  and  brought  his  family  to  his 
new  home.  The  religious  interest,  commenced  under 
Mr.  Potter's  labors,  continued,  and  a  Baptist  church 
was  organized  May  24,  1784.  Of  this  church  Mr. 
Macomber  became  pastor.  Mr.  Case,  meanwhile,  had 
turned  his  face  to  the  eastward.  A  powerful  work  of 
grace  followed  his  labors  at  Thomaston.  Many  were 
baptized,  and  a  church  of  fifty  members  was  organized 
May  27, 1785,  of  which  Mr.  Case  became  pastor.  One 
of  the  converts,  Elisha  Snow,  had  been  a  prominent 
business  man.  Though  now  in  middle  life  he  left  all 
to  follow  Christ.  One  of  his  daughters  became  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Case.  Mr.  Snow  at  once  began  to  preach 
in  his  own  town  and  neighboring  towns,  co-operating 
with  his  pastor,  and  June  11,  1788,  he  was  ordained 
at  Harpswell  as  ''  an  itinerant  minister."  Mr.  Potter 
was  ordained  at  Harpswell,  October  5,  1785.  His 
own  statement  was :  "  I  was  ordained  with  liberty  to 
travel." 

In  connection  with  the  labors  of  Case,  Potter, 
Macomber,  Snow,  and  others.  Baptist  churches  were 
organized  in  many  places.  Though  they  had  the 
powers  of  the  world  against  them,  they  flourished. 
The  Bowdoinham  Association  was  organized  in  Bow- 
doinham May  24,  1787,  by  churches  from  Bowdoin- 


ASSOCIATIONAL    RELATIONS.  89 

ham,  Thomaston,  and  Harpswell.  Other  churches 
were  added  from  time  to  time,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  century,  thirteen  years  after  its  organization,  the 
Association  comprised  thirty-two  churches  with  one 
thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-eight  members.  This 
rapid  growth  was  due  in  a  large  measure  to  the  untir- 
ing, self-denying  labors  of  Rev.  Isaac  Case  and  Rev. 
James  Potter.  They  went  everywhere  preaching  the 
word,  and  their  preaching  was  in  demonstration  of 
the  Spirit  and  in  power. 

Near  the  close  of  the  Revolution  the  Baptists  in- 
creased very  rapidly  in  New  Hampshire.  Only  nine 
churches  had  been  organized  from  1770  to  1779. 
As  many  were  organized  in  1780,  due  in  part  to 
missionary  activity.  Rev.  Caleb  Blood  was  pastor 
of  the  Baptist  church  in  Marlow,  organized 
in  1777.  His  heart  was  stirred  by  reason  of  the 
religious  destitution  he  saw  all  about  him,  and  he 
urged  the  Warren  Association  to  send  laborers  into 
the  field.  Rev.  Job  Seamans,  of  Attleboro,  Mass., 
and  Rev.  Biel  Ledoyt,  of  VYoodstock,  Conn.,  were  re- 
quested to  engage  in  this  service,  and  in  1779,  they 
made  their  way  up  the  Connecticut  River  as  far  as 
Woodstock  in  Vermont,  preaching  on  both  sides  of 
the  river,  but  for  the  most  part  in  New  Hampshire. 
Many  were  converted  in  connection  with  their  labors, 
and  later  both  removed  to  the  State  and  settled  as 
pastors  of  churches,  Mr.  Seamans  at  New  London  in 
1788,  and  Mr.  Ledoyt  at  Newport  in  1791.    At  New 


90      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

London  there  was  little  increase  for  four  years,  but  a 
work  of  grace  commenced  in  1792,  and  the  church  of 
eighteen  members  had  in  1794  increased  to  one  hun- 
dred and  fifteen.  The  church  at  Newport  had  a  like 
experience.  Writing  in  1793,  to  Mr.  Backus,  Mr. 
Ledoyt  said:  "  It  hath  been  a  long,  dark,  and  cloudy 
niglit  with  me  and  the  people  here ;  but  glory  to  our 
God,  the  cloud  is  dispersing  fast.  His  work  is  begun 
among  us;  Newport  and  Croyden  are  greatly  blessed. 
There  have  been  forty  souls  hopefully  converted  in  a 
few  weeks  among  us.  I  have  baptized  twenty-nine 
in  four  weeks.  The  work  appears  still  going  on.  I 
cannot  be  idle ;  it  is  out  of  my  power  to  answer  all 
the  calls  I  have  at  this  time,  but  I  endeavor  to  do  all 
I  can.  Being  favored  with  health,  and  the  spirit  of 
preaching,  I  ascend  the  mountain  easy.  There  is  the 
prospect  of  a  glorious  reformation  in  these  parts."  ^ 

Others  of  like  evangelistic  spirit  engaged  in  the 
work.  Thomas  Baldwin,  of  Canaan — born  in  Boz- 
rah.  Conn.,  Dec.  23,  1753 — was  baptized  by  Rev. 
Elisha  Ransom  in  the  latter  part  of  1781.  Aban- 
doning his  legal  studies,  he  decided  to  enter  the 
Christian  ministry.  Commencing  to  preach  in 
August,  1782,  he  was  ordained  at  Canaan  as  an 
evangelist,  June  11,  1783,  and  although  he  had  the 
pastoral  oversight  of  the  church  in  Canaan  until 
1790,  he  performed  during  this  time  a  large  amount 
of  missionary  service  in  destitute  places.     His  hymn, 

1  "History  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  540. 


ASSOCIATIONAL   EELATIONS.  91 

From  whence  doth  this  union  arise, 
That  hatred  is  conquered  by  love? 

was  written  during  a  night  journey  from  Newport  to 
Canaan.  There  had  been  alienation  in  the  Newport 
Church,  and  Dr.  Baldwin's  visit  had  resulted  in  a 
union  of  its  members.  The  good  work  thrilled  his 
heart,  and  as  he  reflected  upon  it  on  his  homeward 
way  he  gave  expression  to  the  joy  he  felt  in  the  words 
of  this  familiar  hymn. 

The  church  in  Grafton  was  organized  in  1785. 
Most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  came  from  Reho- 
both  and  Swansea,  Mass.,  where  the  Baptists  were 
numerous ;  while  in  ^yestraoreland,  where  a  Baptist 
church  was  organized  in  1771,  most  of  the  settlers 
had  been  connected  with  Mr.  Backus'  congregation  in 
Middleboro. 

Meanwhile  Dr.  Shepard  continued  his  labors  in 
connection  with  the  churches  at  Stratham,  Brentwood, 
and  Nottingham.  He  devoted  much  time  also  to 
evangelistic  labors.  Writing  to  Mr.  Backus,  March 
15,  1781,  he  said  that  there  had  been  several  hun- 
dred conversions  in  the  counties  of  Rockingham, 
Stafford,  and  Grafton  during  the  past  year.  In  the 
last  journey  he  had  taken,  he  baptized  seventy-two. 
In  Meredith,  a  church  had  been  gathered  in  1780, 
consisting  of  between  sixty  and  seventy  members. 
Dr.  Shepard  baptized  forty-three  there  in  one  day. 
In  Canterbury,  two  Baptist  churches  were  organized 
in  1780.     Another  church  of  about  fifty  members  was 


92      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

organized  in  Chichester ;  churches  also  were  organized 
in  Barrington,  Hubbardston,  Holderness,  and  Rumney. 
The  churches  at  Stratham,  Brentwood,  and  Notting- 
ham M'ere  united  in  one  organization,  and  in  1785, 
the  united  church  had  a  membership  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty-one.  During  the  next  five  years  there  was 
not  much  growth;  but  in  1792,  the  number  had  in- 
creased to  tiiree  hundred  and  ninety-seven,  and  in 
1793,  to  five  hundred  and  twenty-six. 

In  1790,  there  were  within  the  limits  of  the  State 
thirty-one  Baptist  churches,  twenty-three  ordained 
and  licensed  preachers,  and  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  members.  In  1795,  there  were 
forty-one  churches,  thirty  ministers,  and  two  thous- 
and five  hundred  and  sixty-two  members. 

Near  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  settlers 
from  the  older  portions  of  New  England  began  to 
find  their  way  into  Vermont  in  increasing  numbers. 
Among  them  were  many  Baptists,  who  sought  for 
J;heir  families,  not  only  homes,  but  freedom  from  the 
ecclesiastical  annoyances  to  which  hitherto  they  had 
been  subjected.  A  considerable  number  of  able,  con- 
secrated ministers  also  made  their  way  thither;  among 
them :  Elisha  Ransom,  Joseph  Cornell,  Caleb  Blood, 
Elisha  Rich,  Joseph  Call,  Jedediah  and  John  Hibbard, 
Aaron  Leland,  Sylvester  Haynes,  Isaac  and  Ephruim 
Sawyer,  Isaac  Webb,  Richard  Williams,  and  Roswell 
Mears.  Only  a  few  of  these  pioneers  had  received  a 
liberal  education,  but  they  were  men  of  strong  minds. 


ASSOCIATIONAL   RELATIONS.  93 

ardent  piety,  sound  judgment,  finn  faith,  and  untiring 
zeal.  Strong  in  the  Lord,  they  visited  the  scattered 
settlements.  Freely  tliey  had  received,  freely  they 
gave ;  and  everywhere  they  were  cordially  welcomed 
for  their  Master's  sake  and  for  their  own.  Converts 
were  multiplied  and  churches  organized.  In  1790, 
according  to  Asplund,  there  were  within  the  limits 
of  the  State,  thirty-four  Baptist  churches,  with  one 
thousand  six  hundred  and  ten  members,  twenty-one 
ordained  ministers,  and  fifteen  licentiates. 

The  first  Association  organized  in  what  is  now  the 
State  of  Vermont  was  the  Shafisbury  Association, 
which,  according  to  the  Minutes  of  the  Association 
published  in  1786,  "  was  begun  and  held  at  Shafts- 
bury,  on  June  11,  1781."  This  is  the  date  of  organ- 
ization given  by  Baclius,  but  Benedict  and  others 
claim  that  the  Association  was  constituted  in  1780. 
Possibly  there  was  a  preliminary  meeting  with  refer- 
ence to  such  an  organization  in  1780,  but  the  organi- 
zation itself  was  not  effected  until  the  following  year. 
This  mother  of  Associations  in  Vermont  at  one  time 
embraced  a  territory  extending  from  north  of  the  St. 
Lawrence  River  to  the  southern  boundary  of  western 
Massachusetts,  and  from  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
Green  Mountains  almost  to  the  Great  Lakes.  In 
1786,  the  Association  reported  15  churches, — five  in 
each  of  the  States  of  Vermont,  Massachusetts,  and 
New  York, — with  seven  hundred  and  fifteen  mem- 
bers.    Rev.  Caleb  Blood  became  pastor  of  the  fourth 


94      HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

church  in  Shaftsburj,  in  1788.  In  the  following 
year  the  church  had  a  membership  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-four.  This  number  had  increased  to  one 
hundred  and  sixty  in  1795,  and  a  revival  in  1798-9 
resulted  in  the  addition  of  about  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  members.  In  1800,  the  Association  con- 
tained forty-six  churches,  thirty-three  ministers,  and 
four  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  mem- 
bers. For  the  two  years  prior  to  1800,  the  churches 
in  the  Association  had  received  nearly  eight  hundred 
to  their  membership,  and  during  that  year  they  re- 
ceived by  baptism  seven  hundred  and  sixty-seven,  the 
additions  to  the  church  in  Cheshire  alone  being  two 
hundred  and  fourteen. 

The  Woodstock  Association  was  organized  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1783,  in  the  town  from  which  it  received  its 
name.  It  was  composed  of  churches  on  both  sides 
of  the  Connecticut  River,  and  covered  a  territory  now 
occupied  by  the  \Yoodstock  and  Windham  Associa- 
tions in  Vermont,  and  the  Newport,  Dublin,  and 
Salisbury  Associations  in  New  Hampshire.  The 
Woodstock  Church,  which  was  organized  in  1780  with 
Rev.  Elisha  Ransom  as  pastor,  was  connected  with 
the  Warren  Association  until  the  Woodstock  Associa- 
tion was  formed.  In  1791,  this  Association  comprised 
twenty-six  churches  with  one  thousand  and  fourteen 
members,  and  it  was  largely  through  the  labors  of 
Rev.  Aaron  Leland  that  it  became  a  strong  and  effi- 
cient body.     In  1797,  it  had  increased  to  thirty-one 


ASSOCIATIONAL    RELATIONS.  95 

churches  and  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight  members,  and  in  1800,  with  thiity  churches,  a 
membership  of  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  seventy- 
nine  was  reported.  The  last  yeat  of  the  century  with 
these  churches  was  one  of  great  prosperity. 

The  Vermont  Association  was  organized  at  Man- 
chester, in  1785.  According  to  Benedict  it  comprised 
five  clmrches,  viz  :  Clarendon,  Granville,  Manchester, 
Danby,  and  Mapleton.  The  church  in  \Yallingfoi-d, 
organized  in  1780,  was  the  oldest  within  the  bounds 
of  this  Association.  The  church  in  Manchester  was 
organized  in  1781,  and  Rev.  Joseph  Cornell,  a  native 
of  Swansea,  Mass.,  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  He 
served  the  church  fourteen  years,  but  all  this  time  he 
was  abundant  in  labors  throughout  the  surrounding 
country.  The  Vermont  Association  was  organized  in 
his  barn  in  1789,  and  reported  eleven  churches  with 
six  hundred  and  thirteen  members.  In  1791,  it  re- 
ported fourteen  churches  and  seven  hundred  and 
eighty-five  members,  while  in  1794,  the  number  of 
churches  had  increased  to  fifteen  with  a  membership 
of  eitjht  hundred  and  fortv-eio-ht.  The  territory  then 
included  within  the  limits  of  the  Association  extended 
from  Manchester  on  the  south  to  Georgia  on  the 
north,  and  in  addition  to  the  territory  at  first  occu- 
pied, embraced  that  afterward  included  in  the  Addi- 
son County  and  Lamoille  Associations. 

Two  other  Associations  were  formed  in  Vermont 
before  the  close  of  the  century,  Leyden  (now  Wind- 


96       HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS   IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

ham  County)  in  1793,  and  Richmond  Association 
(afterward  Fairfield)  in  1795. 

In  Massachusetts,  more  than  a  score  of  Baptist 
churches  were  organized  between  1770  and  1780; 
and  more  than  thirty  between  1780  and  1790.  Asp- 
hind,  in  his  Register  for  1790,  shows  that  at  that  time 
tliere  were  in  Massaciiusetts,  exchisive  of  the  District 
of  Maine,  eighty-seven  Baptist  churches  with  a  mem- 
bership of  six  thousand  and  fifty-two.  This  number 
was  considerably  increased  by  the  close  of  the  cen- 
tury. 

Prominent  among  those  who  aided  in  many  ways 
in  promoting  Baptist  interests  in  the  State  was  Rev. 
Isaac  Backus.  His  labors  in  behalf  of  religious 
liberty  will  be  mentioned  later.  As  an  evangelist  he 
did  a  great  work.  From  1756  to  1767  he  preached 
two  thousand  four  hundred  and  twelve  sermons,  and 
traveled  fourteen  thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety- 
one  miles  outside  of  the  limits  of  his  own  parish. 
Writing  December  31,  1780,  at  the  close  of  the  great 
revival  year,  he  said  :  "  In  the  year  which  is  now 
closed  I  have  traveled  one  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  eighteen  miles  and  preached  two  hundred  and 
forty-eight  times,  with  as  little  weariness  of  body  and 
with  as  much  freedom  of  soul  as  I  ever  was  favored 
with  in  mv  life."  At  the  close  of  the  next  December, 
he  wrote  :  "  Another  year  is  now  closed,  wherein  I 
have  been  enabled  to  preach  two  hundred  and  fifty 
sermons  and   to  journey  one  thousand  four  hundred 


ASSOCIATIONAL   RELATIONS.  97 

and  four  miles  with  health  of  body  and  freedom  of 
mind."  And  so  it  was  year  after  year.  He  was 
abundant  in  labors  for  the  Baptist  brotherhood. 
Meanwhile  he  was  busily  engaged  in  preparing  his 
"  History  of  New  England,  with  Particular  Refer- 
ence to  the  Denomination  of  Christians  called  Bap- 
tists," the  first  volume  of  which  was  published  in 
1777,  the  second  in  1784,  and  the  third  in  1796,  with 
an  abridgment  in  1804,  two  years  before  his  death. 
Bancroft  once  referred  to  Backus  as  "  one  of  the  most 
exact  of  our  New  England  historians"  ;  and  he  after- 
ward added,  "  I  look  always  to  a  Baptist  historian 
for  the  ingenuousness,  clear  discernment,  and  deter- 
mined accuracy,  which  formed  the  glory  of  their  great 
historian.  Backus." 

Rev.  Hezekiah  Smith,  of  Haverhill,  during  the 
last  quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century,  continued  the 
unwearied  labors  that  marked  his  earlier  ministry. 
During  the  Revolutionary  War  he  took  an  active  part 
in  the  struggle.  He  was  present  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill,  and  was  invited  to  preach  to  the  sol- 
diers at  Cambridge  on  the  following  day.  Although 
he  retained  the  pastorate  of  his  church,  he  served  as 
a  chaplain  through  nearly  the  whole  of  the  war.  He 
became  the  intimate  friend  of  Washington,  and  in  the 
highest  degree  possessed  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
the  officers  and  men  with  whom  he  was  associated. 
When,  in  1777,  Congress  passed  a  law  allowing  only 
one  chaplain  to  a  brigade,  Mr.  Smith  was  one  of 

G 


98       HISTOEY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

those  appointed.  After  the  war,  while  as  active  as 
ever  in  his  pastoral  work  at  Haverhill,  lie  continued 
his  evangelistic  tours  into  the  neighboring  towns  and. 
States.  Everywhere  he  was  welcome,  and  his  earnest, 
devout  presentation  of  the  great  truths  of  the  Script- 
ures was  exceedingly  effective  in  awakening  and  con- 
verting souls.  Mr.  Smith  died  January  24,  1805, 
in  the  sixtv-eighth  year  of  his  age  and  the  forty- 
second  of  his  ministry. 

Mention  also  should  be  made  of  the  labors  of  Dr. 
Stillman.  A  native  of  Philadelphia,  he  came  to  Bos- 
ton in  October,  1763,  as  the  assistant  of  the  pastor  of 
the  Second  Baptist  Church  ;  and  in  November,  1764, 
he  accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist 
Chui'ch.  During  a  pastorate  of  forty-two  years,  he 
served  not  only  his  own  people,  but  the  Baptists  of 
New  England,  As  a  preacher  he  was  in  the  foremost 
rank.  Revivals  in  his  church  were  frequent,  and  his 
aid  was  often  sought  in  revivals  in  other  churches. 

Not  long  after  the  removal  of  the  college  from 
"Warren,  it  was  deemed  desirable  that  a  new  house  of 
worship  should  be  built  in  Providence  "  for  the  public 
worship  of  Almighty  God,  and  also  for  holding  com- 
mencements in  "  ;  and  the  church  and  society  entered 
upon  the  work  with  unanimity  and  promptness.  In 
order  to  procure  the  necessary  funds,  recourse  was 
had  to  a  lottery,  according  to  the  custom  of  tiie  times. 
Managers  were  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly, 
and  in  their  circular  of  June  25,  1774,  thev  asked  for 


ASSOCIATIONAL   RELATIONS.  99 

the  "cheerful  assistance  and  eucouragement  of  the 
public,  especially  when  it  is  considered  that  this  is  the 
first  time  the  Baptist  Society  have  solicited  their  as- 
sistance in  this  way,  which  they  can  assure  them 
would  not  now  have  been  the  case  had  they  not  pur- 
chased as  much  more  land,  and  designed  a  house  as 
much  larger  than  the  society  required  for  their  own  use 
(purposely  to  accommodate  public  commencements), 
as  will  amount  to  the  full  sum  proposed  to  be  raised 
by  this  lottery."  There  were  eleven  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  seventy  tickets  sold  at  prices  ranging 
from  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  to  five  dollars  each. 
This  house,  which  is  still  in  use,  was  dedicated  May 
28,  1775,  President  Manning  preaching  the  dedica- 
tory sermon.  The  lofty  and  graceful  spire  of  the 
meeting  house  thus  erected  was  a  copy  of  that  of  St. 
Martin's-in-the-Field,  London.  The  bell  had  this 
motto : 

For  freedom  of  conscience  the  town  was  first  planted ; 

Persuasion,  not  force,  was  used  by  the  people; 
This  church  was  the  eldest,  and  has  not  recanted, 

Enjoying,  and  granting,  bell,  temple,  and  steeple. 

The  entire  cost  of  the  house  and  lot  was  upward  of 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 

In  the  struggle  between  the  colonies  and  Great 
Britaiu,  the  people  of  Rhode  Island  tooic  a  deep  in- 
terest. Although,  as  Bancroft  says,  they  possessed  a 
"  charter  so  thoroughly  republican  that  no  change  was 
required  beyond  a  renunciation  of  the  King's  name  " 


100   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

in  the  style  of  the  public  acts  of  the  colony,  they  con- 
sidered the  general  welfare,  and  labored  to  advance  it 
in  all  possible  ways. 

December  7,  1776,  Sir  Peter  Parker,  commanding 
the  British  forces,  with  seventy  war  vessels,  anchored 
in  Newport  Harbor,  landed  troops  and  took  possession 
of  the  place.  Providence,  in  consequence,  became  a 
military  post,  and  martial  law  was  proclaimed.  The 
college  was  accordingly  closed,  and  was  not  re-opened 
until  May  27,  1782.  Meanwhile,  the  college  building, 
now  University  Hall,  was  occupied  for  barracks,  and 
afterward  as  a  hospital  by  the  American,  and  French 
troops. 

A  party  of  British  troops  landed  at  Warren,  May 
25,  1778,  and  burned  the  Baptist  meeting-house, 
the  minister's  house,  and  some  others.  They  seized 
their  goods,  and  carried  some  of  the  citizens,  includ- 
ing the  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church,  with  them  to 
Newport  on  their  return.  The  members  of  the 
Warren  Church,  while  thus  deprived  of  their  pastor 
and  house  of  worship,  united  with  the  Swansea  Church, 
three  miles  distant ;  and  their  pastor,  after  he  had 
been  released,  became  pastor  of  the  Swansea  Church. 
A  revival,  ere  long,  was  experienced,  and  in  1780 
and  in  1781,  nearly  two  hundred  persons  were  added 
to  the  two  churches  in  Swansea. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  the  charter  of  the  college 
was  revised,  so  that  it  should  conform  to  the  new 
civil  order ;  and  the  seal  of  the  college,  which  con- 


ASSOCIATIONS L   EELATIONS.  101 

tained  the  busts  of  the  king  and  queen  of  Great 
Britain,  was  exchanged  for  one  with  more  suitable 
devices.  The  college  library,  during  the  w^ar,  was  in 
the  keeping  of  Rev.  William  Williams,  of  Wrentham, 
Mass. 

During  the  Revolution,  the  Baptists  of  Rhode 
Island  made  little  progress  numerically.  Several 
churches  were  added,  and  in  1790,  according  to 
Asplund,  there  were  thirty-eight  Baptist  churches  in 
the  State,  with  thirty-seven  ordained  and  ninety-six 
licensed  preachers,  and  three  thousand  five  hundred 
and  two  members.  In  1795,  according  to  Backus, 
there  were  forty  churches,  thirty-four  ministers,  and 
three  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty  members. 

In  no  other  State  was  the  Separatist  movement 
more  helpful  to  the  Baptists  than  in  Connecticut,  and 
long  after  the  labors  of  the  great  evangelists  of  that 
epoch,  members  of  Separatist  and  Congregational 
churches  continued  to  find  their  way  into  those  of  the 
Baptists.  The  early  pioneers  too  were  followed  by 
men  of  like  earnest  spirit — the  Wightmans,  the  Bur- 
rowses,  the  Aliens,  the  Bolles,  the  Palmers,  and  the 
Rath  buns — who  loved  the  word  of  God,  and  de- 
lighted in  preaching  it  to  their  fellow-men.  More- 
over, during  the  Revolutionary  War,  no  other  State, 
except  Massachusetts,  had  so  many  men  in  the  mili- 
tary service  as  Connecticut,  As  elsewhere,  the  strug- 
gle fostered  the  spirit  of  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
and  so  opened  tlie  way  for  the  reception  of  Baptist 


102    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

principles.  Of  the  Baptist  churches  now  extant  in 
the  State,  twenty  existed  in  1786,  a  little  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  War;  and  from  1786, 
until  the  close  of  the  century,  ten  Baptist  churches, 
which  remain  to  this  day,  were  formed.  "  It  thus 
appears  that,  during  the  last  fourteen  years  of  the 
last  century,  after  the  height  of  the  Separatist  move- 
ment and  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  one- 
half  as  many  enduring  churches  were  formed  in  this 
State  as  during  the  forty-five  preceding  years.  The 
numerical  increase  of  Baptists  was  more  rapid  than  at 
first,  yet  it  was  still  slow.  The  development  of  their 
principles  was,  however,  steady  and  permanent. 
These  principles  had  not  yet  had  a  fair  chance,  but 
they  were  in  Connecticut,  and  they  were  here  to 
stay."^ 

According  to  Asplund's  Register  for  1790,  eight 
Baptist  churches  were  organized  in  the  State  between 
1770  and  1780.  In  the  next  decade  eleven  churches 
were  added,  and  the  number  was  still  further  in- 
creased in  1790  by  five  churches.  The  total  number 
of  churches  in  1790  was  fifty-five,  with  forty-four 
ordained  and  twenty-one  licensed  preachers,  and  three 
thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety-four  members. 
Backus,  in  1795,  gives  the  number  of  churches  in 
Connecticut  as  sixty,  with  forty  ministers  and  three 
thousand  five  hundred  and  forty-seven  members.     At 

1  Prof.  B.  O.  True,  Address  at  the  Centennial  of  the  First 
Baptist  Cliiireh,  Meriden,  October  7,  1886,  p.  8. 


ASSOCIATION AL   RELATIONS.  103 

the  close  of  the  century  the  membership  of  the  Baptist 
churches  of  the  State  could  not  have  been  far  from 
four  thousand. 

With  increase  in  the  number  of  churches  came 
associational  fellowship.  In  1772  the  Stonington 
Association  was  organized.  The  Groton  Union  Con- 
ference was  the  name  given  to  an  Association  or- 
ganized in  1785.  It  was  a  mixed  Association  of 
Baptists  and  Separatists,  and  had  only  a  brief  exist- 
ence. The  Groton  Church,  from  which  this  body 
took  its  name,  held  mixed  communion  until  1797, 
when  the  practice  was  relinquished.  When  Benedict 
published  his  "  History  of  the  Baptist  Denomination," 
this  was  true  of  the  other  churches  in  the  Conference.^ 
The  Danbury  Association  was  formed  in  1790,  and 
embraced  the  churches  in  that  part  of  the  State  west 
of  the  Connecticut  River,  except  the  churches  in 
Ridgefield,  Stamford,  and  Greenwich,  which  were 
connected  with  the  Warwick  Association  in  the  State 
of  New  York. 

1  Benedict,  "History,"  Vol.  II.,- p.  526. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   CONTEST   FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY. 

rriHE  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  from  the 
-*-  settlement  of  the  colony,  in  providinai;  for  the 
support  of  the  Christian  ministry,  followed  the  ecclesi- 
astical law  which  had  been  in  force  in  England  long 
before  the  Reformation,  viz. :  That  every  man  should 
be  taxed  for  this  purpose  in  the  town,  parish,  precinct, 
or  district  where  he  lived,  unless  specially  exempt. 
In  1638  it  Avas  enacted  that  "  every  inhabitant  who 
should  not  voluntarily  contribute  to  all  charges,  both 
in  church  and  Commonwealth  proportionately,  accord- 
ing to  his  ability,  should  be  compelled  thereto  by  as- 
sessment." 

The  second  charter  of  Massachusetts,  dated  October 
7,  1691,  allowed  equal  liberty  of  conscience  to  all 
Christians  except  Roman  Catholics.  But  the  General 
Court,  October  12,  1692,  enacted  a  law  requiring  each 
town  to  have  a  minister  for  whose  support  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  town  should  be  taxed,  "  each  man  his 
several  proportion  thereof."  This  law  was  subse- 
quently somewhat  modified,  but  its  principal  features 
were  not  changed;  and  in  1718,  the  General  Court 
authorized  also  the  imposition  of  a  tax  for  the  build- 
104 


THE   CONTEST    FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.       105 

ing  and  repairing  of  parish  meeting-houses.  Baptists, 
especially  as  they  came  to  have  churches  of  their  own, 
also  Episcopalians  and  Quakers,  objected  to  liiese 
parish  taxes. 

The  first  exemption  act  was  passed  in  1727,  and 
had  reference  to  members  of  Episcopal  churches  only. 
By  an  act  passed  in  May,  1728,  Baptists  and  Quakers 
were  also  exempted  from  parish  taxes,  provided  they 
"  usually  attend  the  meeting  of  their  respective  socie- 
ties assembling  upon  the  Lord's  Day  for  the  worship 
of  God,  and  that  they  lived  within  five  miles  of  the 
place  of  such  meeting."  In  December,  1731,  the 
General  Court  passed  a  modified  act  with  reference  to 
the  Quakers,  omitting  among  other  provisions  the  five- 
mile  limitation.  The  Baptist  exemption  act  expired 
in  1733;  and  the  Baptists  in  Rehoboth  were  at  once 
taxed  for  the  support  of  the  established  ministry,  and 
some  of  the  members  of  the  church  were  imprisoned. 
Upon  their  application  to  the  General  Court,  however, 
they  were  released,  and  a  law  like  that  enacted  for 
the  Quakers  was  passed  for  the  relief  of  the  Baptists. 
This  law  expired  in  1747,  and  was  then  continued  for 
ten  years. 

The  "  testimony  "  of  Henry  Fisk,  an  elder  of  the 
Baptist  church  in  Sturbridge,  Mass.,  illustrates  the 
oppressive  treatment  to  which  the  Baptists  were  still 
subjected :  ^  '•  One   brother  was  called   from   us  and 

^  A.  Bloice  had  a  spinning  wheel  taken  away  in  1750,  and  was 
imprisoned  in  17oL     D.  Fisk  had  five  pewter  plates  taken  from 


106    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND, 

ordained  a  pastor  of  a  Baptist  church,  and  came  for 
his  family ;  at  which  time  they  seized  him  and  drew 
him  away,  and  thrust  him  into  prison,  where  he  was 
kept  in  the  cold  winter  till  somebody  paid  the  money 
and  let  him  out." 

The  town  collectors  in  Sturbridge,  for  1750  and 
1751,  were  prosecuted  on  account  of  these  many  op- 
pressive acts ;  and  when  one  of  the  cases  came  to  the 
Supreme  Court,  by  agreement  it  was  referred  to  the 
judges,  who  gave  a  decision  in  favor  of  the  Baptists. 
Then  the  collectors  turned  around  and  asked  the  town 
to  indemnify  them  for  their  expenses  in  the  case;  and 
as  the  request  was  granted,  the  Baptists  in  Sturbridge 
were  compelled  to  bear  their  share  of  the  expenses 
which  the  collectors  had  incurred  in  defending  their 
unlawful  acts. 

In  1752,  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  enacted 

him  in  1750,  and  a  cow  in  1751.  John  Cory  imprisoned,  1750. 
J.  Barstow  imprisoned,  1750.  J.  Pike,  a  cow  taken,  1750.  A 
cradle  in  1750,  and  a  steer  in  1751,  were  taken  from  J.  Perry. 
Trammel,  andirons,  shovel,  and  tongs  were  taken  from  J.  Blunt 
in  1750,  and  he  was  imprisoned  the  next  year.  John  Streeter 
had  goods  taken  in  1750  and  1751 ;  Benjamin  Eobbins,  house- 
hold goods  and  carpenter's  tools.  Household  goods  and  a  cow 
were  taken  from  H.  Fisk  in  1750  and  1751.  Josiah  Perry  was 
imprisoned  in  1750.  and  a  cow  taken  from  him  in  1751. 
Nathaniel  Smith  was  imprisoned  in  1750.  David  Morse  was 
imprisoned  and  a  cow  taken  away  in  1750,  and  a  yoke  of  oxen  in 
1751.  Goods  were  taken  from  Phinehas  Collier  in  1750  and  1761. 
John  Newel,  go<jds  taken  in  1750  and  1751.  John  Draper  im- 
prisoned, 1751. — Backus,  "History  of  the  Baptists  in  New  Eng- 
land," Vol.  II.,  p.  95,  note. 


THE   CONTEST    FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.       107 

a  law  that  uo  minister  or  church  should  have  power 
to  give  exemption  certificates  until  there  should  be 
obtained  "  from  three  other  churches,  commonly 
called  Anabaptists,  in  this  or  the  neighboring  prov- 
inces, a  certificate  from  each  respectively,  that  they 
esteem  such  church  to  be  of  their  denomination,  and 
that  they  conscientiously  believe  them  to  be  Ana- 
baptists " 

This  action  of  the  General  Court  was  regarded  by 
the  Baptists  as  so  unjust  that  they  resolved  to  carry 
their  case  to  England.  Several  meetings  were  held 
in  1753  and  1754,  and  money  was  subscribed  for  this 
purpose.  A  remonstrance  against  these  oppressive 
proceedings  was  presented  to  the  General  Court  in 
May,  1754,  which  so  enraged  some  of  the  members 
that  a  motion  was  made  to  arrest  the  signers  of  the 
remonstrance.  But  Governor  Shirley  convinced  them 
of  the  folly  of  such  a  course,  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  for  a  friendly  conference  with  the  Baptists. 
In  1757,  the  laws  for  exempting  Baptists  and  Qua- 
kers expired,  and  a  new  law  was  enacted  by  which  only 
those  were  to  be  exempted  from  ministerial  taxes  as 
Baptists  whose  names  were  ''contained  in  a  list  or 
lists  to  be  taken  and  exhibited  on  or  before  the  20th 
of  July  annually  to  the  assessors  of  such  town,  dis- 
trict, precinct,  or  parish  ;  and  signed  by  three  princi- 
pal members  of  the  Anabaptist  church  to  which  he 
or  they  belonged,  and  the  minister  thereof,  if  any  there 
be,  who  shall  therein  certify  that  the  persons  whose 


108    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

names  are  inserted  in  the  said  list  or  lists  are  really 
belonging  thereto ;  that  they  verily  believe  them  to 
be  conscientiously  of  this  persuasion,  and  that  they 
frequently  and  usually  attend  public  worship  in  said 
church  on  the  Lord's  Days."  This  law  remained  in 
force  thirteen  years.  "  No  tongue  or  pen,"  says 
Backus,  "  can  fully  describe  all  the  evils  that  were 
practiced  under  it.'' 

The  Warren  x4.ssociation,  with  which  the  Baptist 
churches  in  Massachusetts  were  connected,  very  early 
took  these  matters  into  consideration.  At  the  meet- 
ing in  1769,  "many  letters  from  the  churches  men- 
tion grievances,  oppressions,  and  persecutions  from 
the  Standing  Order ;  especially  the  one  from  Ashfield, 
where  religious  tyranny  had  been  carried  to  great 
lengths."  ^  Accordingly  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
draft  petitions  to  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts 
and  Connecticut  for  redress.  The  following  "  plan  to 
collect  grievances "  was  also  adopted  :  "  Whereas, 
Complaints  of  oppression  occasioned  by  a  noncon- 
formity to  the  religious  establishment  in  New  Enghind 
have  been  brought  to  this  Association ;  and  whereas, 
The  laws  obtained  for  preventing  and  redressing  such 
oppressions  have  upon  trial  been  found  insufficient 
— either  through  defect  in  the  laws  themselves,  or 
iniquity  in  the  execution  thereof — and  whereas,  hum- 
ble remonstrances  and  petitions  have  not  been  duly 
regarded,  but  the  same  oppressive  measures  con- 
1  See  Minutes  of  the  Warren  Association  for  1769. 


THE   CONTEST   FOR   KELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.      109 

tinned  :  This  is  to  inform  all  the  oppressed  Baptists 
in  New  England  that  the  Association  of  Warren — in 
conjunction  with  the  Western  or  Philadelphia  Asso- 
ciation— is  determined  to  seek  remedy  for  these 
brethren  where  a  speedy  and  effectual  one  may  be 
had."  The  following  were  appointed  to  receive 
"  well  attested  grievances,"  to  be  by  them  transmitted 
to  Rev.  Samuel  Stillman,  Boston,  viz. :  Rev.  Heze- 
kiah  Smith,  of  Haverhill,  Rev.  Isaac  Backus,  of 
IMiddleboro,  Mr.  Richard  Montague,  of  Sunder- 
land, Rev.  Joseph  Meacham,  of  Enfield,  and  Rev. 
Timothy  Wightman,  of  Groton,  Conn.^  At  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Association  in  1770,  it  was  unanimously 
resolved  to  send  "  to  the  British  Court  for  help  if  it 
could  not  be  obtained  in  America,"  and  when  the 
General  Court  of  Massachusetts  assembled,  the  Bap- 
tist Committee  of  Grievances,  acting  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  Warren  Association,  addressed  a  petition 
to  the  General  Court,  in  which  reference  was  made  to 
the  ill  treatment  that  had  been  received  hitherto,  and 
urged  relief  from  the  persecutions  to  which  the  Bap- 
tists were  subjected. 

As  the  old  exemption  law  had  expired,  a  new  law 
was  now  passed ;  but,  notwithstanding  the  changes 
made,  its  provisions  were  wholly  unsatisfactory. 
When  the  Warren  Association  met  in  September, 
1772,  another  Committee  on  Grievances  was  appointed, 
with  Mr.  Backus  as  chairman,  a  position  he  held  for 
'  Minutes  of  the  Warren  Association  for  1769. 


110    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    :SEW    ENGLAND. 

ten  successive  years.  He  prepared  an  address  to  the 
public  in  which  the  case  of  the  Baptists  was  fully  and 
forcibly  stated.  In  1774,  he  addressed  a  letter  to  Sam- 
uel Adams,  in  which  he  said :  "I  fully  concur  with  your 
grand  maxim,  that  it  is  essential  to  liberty  that  repre- 
sentation and  taxation  go  together.  Well,  then,  since 
people  do  not  vore  for  representatives  in  our  legisla- 
ture from  ecclesiastical  qualifications,  but  only  by 
virtue  of  those  which  are  of  a  civil  and  worldly  na- 
ture, how  can  representatives  thus  chosen  have  any 
right  to  impose  ecclesiastical  taxes?  Yet  they  have 
assumed  and  long;  exercised  such  a  power.  For  thev 
assumed  a  power  to  compel  each  town  and  parish  in 
this  Province  to  settle  a  minister,  and  have  empow- 
ered the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  to  give  away  as 
much  of  their  neighbors'  estates  as  they  please  to  their 
minister;  and  if  they  refuse  to  yield  it  to  them,  then 
to  take  it  by  force.  And  I  am  bold  in  it  that  taxes 
laid  by  the  British  Parliament  upon  America  are  not 
more  contrary  to  civil  freedom,  than  these  taxes  are 
to  the  very  nature  of  liberty  of  conscience,  which  is 
an  essential  article  in  our  charter.  .  .  Two  thou- 
sand dollars  will  not  make  good  the  damages  that  the 
Baptists  in  this  Province  have  sustained  within  these 
ten  years  by  being  taxed  by  the  other  party,  and  by 
suing  for  their  rights  before  judges  and  jurors  who 
were  of  that  party."  ^ 

Not  long  after  this  letter  was  written,  Mr.  Backus 
*  Hovey,  "  Life  and  Times  of  Isaac  Backus,"  pp.  196,  197. 


THE  CONTEST   FOR   RELIGIOUS    LIBERTY.      Ill 

received  information  that  eighteen  members  of  the 
Baptist  church  in  Royalston,  who  had  presented  their 
certificates  according  to  law,  had  been  arrested  and 
lodged  in  Northampton  jail  for  declining  to  pay  their 
ministerial  rates.  Mr.  Backus  at  once  petitioned  the 
General  Court  in  their  behalf,  asking  that  the  men 
should  be  set  at  liberty,  and  that  effectual  methods 
should  be  taken  for  the  protection  of  the  rights  of  all 
good  members  of  civil  society.  As  a  result,  an  act 
more  favorable  to  the  Baptists  was  passed  by  both 
branches  of  the  General  Court,  but  failed  to  reach  the 
governor. 

The  opposition  to  British  oppression  had  culmi- 
nated in  the  call  for  a  meeting  of  representatives  of 
the  Colonies  in  Philadelphia,  September  5,  1774, 
and  the  Warren  Association  requested  Mr.  Ba(;kus  to 
attend  and  call  the  attention  of  the  members  of  that 
body  to  the  importance  of  securing  the  free  and  full 
enjoyment  of  religious  liberty.  A  c(mference  was 
arranged,  at  which  there  were  present  Thomas  Gush- 
ing, Samuel  Adams,  John  Adams,  and  Robert  Treat 
Paine,  of  Massachusetts,  Stephen  Hopkins  and  Samuel 
Ward,  of  Rliode  Island,  and  other  members  of  the 
Congress,  President  Manning,  of  Brown  University, 
Dr.  Gauo,  and  others.  President  Manning  presented 
a  memorial  ^  in  behalf  of  the  Baptists  of  Massachusetts 
Bay,  calling  attention  to  the  oppressive  laws  enacted 
in  the  Province  against  Baptists,  with  illustrations  of 

1  Hovey,  "Life  and  Times  of  Isaac  Backus,"  pp.  203-210. 


112   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

the  way  In  which  these  laws  were  enforced.  The 
Baptist  position  was  clearly  stated  :  "  To  give  laws,  to 
receive  obedience,  to  compel  with  the  sword,  belong 
to  none  but  the  civil  magistrate ;  and  on  this  ground 
we  affirm  that  the  magistrate's  power  extends  not  to 
the  establishing  any  articles  of  faith  or  forms  of  wor- 
ship by  force  of  law  ;  for  laws  are  of  no  force  without 
penalties.  The  care  of  souls  cannot  belong  to  the 
civil  magistrate,  because  his  power  consists  only  in 
outward  force ;  but  pure  and  saving  religion  consists 
in  the  inward  persuasion  of  the  mind,  without  which 
nothing  can  be  acceptable  to  God.  .  .  As  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  is  not  of  this  world,  and  religion  is  a 
concern  between  God  and  the  soul,  with  which  no 
human  authority  can  intermeddle,  consistently  with 
the  principles  of  Christianity,  and  according  to  the 
dictates  of  Protestantism,  we  claim  and  expect  the 
liberty  of  worshiping  God  according  to  our  con- 
sciences, not  being  obliged  to  support  a  ministry  we 
cannot  attend,  whilst  we  demean  ourselve  as  faithful 
subjects."  The  Adamses,  and  other  delegates  from 
Massachusetts,  attempted  to  show  that  the  Baptists 
complained  without  reason.  Samuel  Adams  inti- 
mated "  that  the  complaints  came  from  enthusiasts 
who  made  it  a  merit  to  suifer  persecution  " ;  but  Mr. 
Backus  and  the  other  Baptists  present  were  ready  with 
facts  in  proof  of  their  statements,  and  the  members  of 
the  Congress  promised  to  do  all  they  conld  for  the 
relief  of  the  Baptists,  although  John  Adams,  at  one 


THE   CONTEST   FOK   EELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.      113 

time  in  the  discussion,  said  that  a  change  might  as 
well  be  expected  in  the  solar  system  as  that  the  great 
Puritan  State  would  abolish  its  ecclesiastical  laws. 
The  Baptists  who  were  present  at  the  conference  were 
not  inclined  to  attach  much  weight  to  the  promise 
they  had  secured,  and  before  they  left  Philadelphia, 
a  copy  of  Mr.  Manning's  "  Mem  Jrial  "  and  a  copy  of 
Mr.  Backus'  "Appeal,"  were  placed  in  the  hands  of 
each  delegate.^ 

It  was  subsequently  reported   by  the  opponents  of 
the  Baptists  that  Mr.  Backus  went  to  Philadelphia  to 
oppose  the  movement  for  uniting  the  Colonies  in  de- 
fense of  their  liberties ;  in  other  words,  that  they  were 
willing  to  imperil  the  general  interests  of  the  peJple  by 
making  prominent  their  denominational  grievances. 
In  an  address  to  the  Congress  of  Massachusetts  the 
members  of  the  Baptist  Committee  of  Grievances, 
through    Mr.    Backus,    repudiated    this    suggestion! 
"  The  Baptist  churches  in  this  Province,"  they  said, 
"as  heartily  unite  with  their  countrymen  in  this  cause 
as  any  denomination  in  the  land ;  and  are  as  ready  to 
exert  all  their  abilities  to  defend  it."     But  thcv  de- 
nied the  right  of  the  General  Court  to  impose  upon 
Baptists  the  burden  of  a  ministerial  tax  as  they  denied 


1  Backus,  "Hist,  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England,"  Vol   II 
p.   202,   note.     See  also  Hovey's    "Life  and    Times  of  Isaac 
Backus,"  pp.  203-215,  349-;;.51 ;   "Works  of  John  Adams,"  Vol. 
II..  pp.  397-399;  and  Guild's  "Manning  and  Brown  Fniver- 
sity,"  p,>.  237-239. 

H 


114   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS  IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

the  right  of  the  British  Government  to  impose  upon 
the  colonists  the  tax  of  three  pence  a  pound  upon  tea. 
Tills  address  having  been  considered,  Congress  recom- 
mended that  when  the  General  Court  of  Massachu- 
setts should  be  convened,  the  Baptists  should  lay  their 
grievances  before  it.  The  General  Court  met  at 
Watertown,  September  20,  1775,  and  Mr.  Backus,  in 
accordance  with  this  recommendation,  sent  in  a 
memorial  in  which  the  wrongs  his  brethren  had  suf- 
fered were  rehearsed,  and  the  right  of  every  man  to 
freedom  from  legal  control  in  the  worship  of  God 
was  insisted  upon.  The  memorial  was  referred  to  a 
committee  of  seven,  of  whom  three  were  Baptists. 
This  committee  having  reported,  it  was  ordered  that 
Dr.  Fletcher — who  was  one  of  the  Baptist  members 
of  this  committee — have  liberty  to  bring  in  a  bill  for 
the  redress  of  such  grievances  as  he  apprehends  the 
Baptists  labor  under.  Dr.  Fletcher  brought  in 
such  a  bill,  and  it  was  read  once,  but  no  action  fol- 
lowed. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Warren  Association,  in  1777, 
Mr.  Backus  read  an  "  Address  to  the  People  of  New 
England,"'  on  the  subject  of  religious  liberty.  At 
the  meeting  in  1778  also^  he  read  a  paper  on  the  same 
subject.  This,  like  the  address  of  the  preceding  year, 
was  published  and  widely  circulated.  Dr.  Stillman, 
pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Boston,  was 
chosen  to  preach  the  election  sermon,  in  1779.  He 
chose  as  his  theme,  the  relation  of  Cimrch  and  State, 


THE   CONTEST   FOR   RELIGIOUS    LIBERTY.      115 

and   presented   forcibly  and  eloquently  the  Baptist 
position. 

In  Massachusetts,  at  this  time,  the  formation  of  a 
State  Constitution  was  under  consideration.  As  early 
as  1776,  a  proposition  was  made  in  the  General  Court 
tliat  a  committee  should  be  appointed  to  prepare  a 
form  of  government.  To  this  objection  was  made. 
It  was  said  that  such  a  matter  should  originate  with 
the  people,  and  the  House  at  length  recommended 
that  deputies  to  the  next  General  Court  should  be 
elected  with  power  to  frame,  in  connection  with  the 
Council,  a  form  of  government  for  the  State.  This 
was  done,  and  at  the  next  session  a  committee,  con- 
sisting of  four  members  of  the  Council  and  eight 
members  of  the  House,  was  appointed  to  prepare  a 
constitution.  The  draft  of  a  constitution,  prepared 
by  this  committee,  was  approved  early  jn  1778,  and 
submitted  to  the  people.  The  thirty-fourth  article 
of  this  constitution  was  as  follows  :  "  The  free  ex- 
ercise and  enjoyment  of  religious  profession  and 
worship  shall  forever  be  allowed  to  every  denomina- 
tion of  Protestants  in  this  State."  Another  article, 
however,  declared  existing  laws  to  be  in  full  force 
until  altered  or  repealed  by  a  future  law  or  laws  of 
the  legislature,  and  the  Baptists  of  Massaclui setts, 
insisting  upon  the  insertion  of  a  Bill  of  Rights, 
uniteii  with  those  who  for  other  reasons  were  opposed 
to  the  new  constitution ;  and  it  was  rejected  by  a 
large  majority. 


116   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

It  was  evident  that  the  people  generally  considered 
a  convention  as  the  proper  body  for  the  framing  of 
a  constitution,  and  such  a  convention  was  called  to 
meet  in  Cambridge,  September  1,  1779.  A  com- 
mittee of  twenty-six  was  chosen  to  draft  a  constitu- 
tion, and  the  convention  soon  adjourned  to  meet 
again  October  28.  The  proposed  draft,  which  had 
been  prepared  by  John  Adams,  was  submitted  at 
that  time.  The  third  article  in  the  Bill  of  Rights, 
with  which  the  constitution  opened,  led  to  consider- 
able discussion.  The  statement  in  its  first  paragraph, 
that  the  legislature  had  the  right,  "  and  ought  to 
provide  at  the  expense  of  the  subject  if  necessary  a 
suitable  support  for  the  public  worship  of  God,"  was 
one  which  the  Baptists  of  Massachusetts  could  not 
endorse.  They  were  represented  in  the  convention, 
and  while  this  article  was  under  consideration,  some 
amendments  having  been  proposed,  Rev.  Noah 
Alden,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Bellingham, 
moved  "  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  consider 
the  proposed  amendments  of  the  said  article  as  offered 
for  the  consideration  of  the  convention  and  report 
thereon."  The  motion  was  carried,  and  Mr.  Alden 
was  made  chairman  of  the  committtee,  which  consisted 
of  seven  members,  five  of  whom,  according  to  Mr. 
Backus,  were  "great  politicians,"  viz. :  Hon.  Timothy 
Danielson,  Theophilus  Parsons,  Esq.,  Hon.  Samuel 
Adams,  Hon.  Robert  Treat  Paine,  and  Caleb  Strong. 
The  remaining  member  of  the  committee,  aside  from 


THE   CO^■TEST   FOR   ItELIGIOUS    LIBERTY.      117 

Mr.  Alden,  was  Kev.  David  Sanford,  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church  in  Med  way. 

Three  days  later  this  committee  reported  a  new 
draft  of  the  third  article.  This  was  read  repeat- 
edly, and  an  extended  debate  followed.  The  report 
of  the  committee  was  finally  taken  up  by  proposi- 
tions, and  debated.  The  whole  report,  with  the 
amendments,  was  at  length  accepted,  and  was  substi- 
tuted for  the  original  article  prepared  by  Mr.  Adams. 
The  substitute  did  not  express  Mr.  Alden's  long- 
cherished  convictions  with  reference  to  religious 
liberty.  It  was  more  satisfactory,  however,  than  the 
article  which  Mr.  Adams  prepared.  That  asserted 
the  right  and  the  duty  of  the  legislature  "  to  provide, 
at  the  expense  of  the  subject,  if  necessary,  a  suitable 
support  for  the  public  worship  of  God,  and  of  the 
teachers  of  religion  and  morals."  The  substitute 
withheld  this  authority  from  the  legislature,  and  as- 
serted the  riglit  and  duty  of  the  legislature  to  author- 
ize and  require  the  several  towns,  parishes,  precincts, 
and  other  bodies  politic,  or  religious  societies,  to  make 
suitable  provision,  at  their  own  expense,  for  the  in- 
stitution of  the  public  worship  of  God.  In  towns 
where  the  Baptists  were  in  the  majority,  the  Baptists 
would  elect  one  of  their  own  number  as  minister  of 
the  town.  This,  however,  was  not  the  religious  lib- 
erty for  which  the  Baptists  of  Massachusetts  had 
long  lifted  up  their  voices.  But,  as  Mr.  Backus 
said,  it  gave  to  the  majority  in  each   town,  parish. 


118    HISTOEY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

etc.,  the  exclusive  right  of  covenanting  for  the  mi- 
nority as  to  religious  teachers,  and  so  excluded  the 
minority  from  the  liberty  of  choosing  for  themselves  in 
that  respect.  Moreover,  Baptists  also  found  cause  of 
complaint  in  that  individuals  connected  with  other 
societies  who  wished  to  join  them  could  not  do  so 
without  applying  for  a  special  license,  an  arrange- 
ment which  they  regarded  as  peculiarly  oppressive  as 
well  as  inconsistent  with  natural  rights. 

When  the  work  of  the  convention  was  finished, 
copies  of  the  proposed  constitution  were  sent  to  the 
selectmen  of  each  town  in  the  State  in  order  that  the 
constitution  might  be  submitted  to  the  people.  The 
votes  of  the  people,  for  or  against  the  constitution, 
were  to  be  returned  on  the  first  Wednesday  in  June, 
1780.  At  that  date  it  appeared  from  the  returns  of 
the  towns  that  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  votes  were 
in  favor  of  the  constitution,  and  the  convention  was 
dissolved  June  16. 

Mr.  Backus,  in  April,  1780,  had  published  an 
appeal  to  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  presenting  the 
objections  of  the  Baptists  to  the  proposed  constitu- 
tion ;  and  when  the  Warren  Association  met  at 
Royalston,  September  13,  a  protest  against  the  power 
claimed  in  the  third  article  of  the  Bill  of  Rights 
was  prepared,  and  received  the  signatures  of  the  dele- 
gates. When  the  General  Court  met  in  October,  this 
protest  was  presented,  but  the  article  was  retained, 
and  the  Baptists  of  Massachusetts  were  compelled  to 


THE   CONTEST    FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.      119 

continue  the  struggle  in  which  they  had  been  so  long 
engaged. 

The  old  difficuhies  at  once  re-appeared.     In  1781 
the  east  parish  at  Attleboro  assessed  ministerial  taxes 
upon  several  persons  who  attended  worship  elsewhere. 
One  of  the  parties,    Mr.  Elijah  Balkom,  who  was 
seized  for  his   tax,  sued   the  assessors  for   damages 
before  a  justice  of  the   peace.      As    judgment   was 
given  against  him,  he  appealed  to  .the  County  Court. 
Mr.  Balkom  was  represented    by  counsel.     The  at- 
torney-general  of   the   State,    Robert   Treat   Paine, 
appeared  for  the  parish,  and  the  judges  unanimously 
gave  to  the  appellant  both  damages  and  costs.     Not- 
withstanding this  decision,  the  Baptists  continued  to 
be  annoyed  by  their  opponents  of  the  Standing  Order. 
In  1781,  a  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  Me- 
natomy    parish,    Cambridge,    now    Arlington;     and 
although  a  pastor  was  secured  in  1783,  the  members 
were  taxed  for  the  support  of  Congregational  minis- 
ters, and    in    1784,  three   were    imprisoned.       They 
accordingly   sued    the  assessors,  and   at  the   County 
Court,  in  September,    1785,  judgment  was  given  in 
their  favor.     At  the  Superior  Court,  in  the  following 
month,  however,  this  decision  was  reversed.     It  was 
now  suggested  to  the  Baptists,  by  an  eminent  lawyer, 
that  if  they  would  give  to  the  ruling  sect  certificates 
that  they  belonged  to  a  Baptist  society,  and  desired 
tliat  their    ministerial   tax    should    be   given   to  the 
Baptist  minister,  it  could  be  secured  by  a  suit.     This 


120    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEAV    ENGLAND. 

opinion  was  based  upon  the  following  provision  of 
the  constitution:  "All  moneys  paid  by  the  subject 
to  the  support  of  public  worship,  and  of  the  public 
teachers  aforesaid,  shall,  if  he  require  it,  be  uniformly 
applied  to  the  support  of  the  public  teacher  or  teach- 
ers of  his  own  religious  sect  or  denomination,  pro- 
vided there  be  any  on  whose  instructions  he  attends." 
Mr.  Backus  was  not  in  favor  of  the  course  proposed. 
He  regarded  the  giving  of  certificates  as  an  improper 
submission  to  the  civil  power  in  religious  concerns, 
and  he  would  not  retreat  from  the  position  he  had 
fearlessly  held.  But  the  Cambridge  Baptists,  think- 
ing less  of  the  principle  involved  than  of  escape  from 
the  grip  of  their  persecutors,  "  sued  the  money  out  of 
the  hands  of  their  oppressors  from  time  to  time,  until 
they  left  oflf  collecting  such  money ;  and  the  like  was 
done  in  various  parts  of  the  country." 

The  sufferings  of  the  church  and  society  at  Cam- 
bridge received  attention  at  the  meeting  of  the  Warren 
Association  at  Newton  in  September,  1786  ;  and  the 
following  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  :  "  Re- 
solved, That  as  our  denomination  in  this  Common- 
wealth have  been  long  oppressed  by  the  Congregation- 
alists,  who  have  claimed  the  power  of  supporting  re- 
ligious ministers  by  tax  and  compulsion  ;  and  as  in 
consequence  of  this,  our  brethren  in  Cambridge,  be- 
sides their  time  and  trouble,  have  lately  been  at  the 
expense  of  thirty-three  pounds,  fifteen  shillings,  we 
earnestly  recommend  that  each  church  in  this  Associa- 


THE   CONTEST   FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.      121 

tion  raise  a  proportion  of  that  sum,  as  soon  as  may  be, 
and  forward  the  same  to  Mr.  Isaac  Skillman,  of  Bos- 
ton, or  to  Mr.  Thomas  Green,  of  Cambridge,  for  the 
relief  of  those  sufferers.  And  this  we  do  considering 
it  is  in  the  general  cause  of  liberty  these  friends  have 
stood  forth,  a  cause  which  concerns  the  citizens  of 
America  at  large,  and  particularly  affects  us ;  consid- 
ering also  that  what  they  have  done  has  evidently 
given  a  check  to  such  oppressions,  and  that  nothing 
tends  more  to  bring  them  to  an  end  than  a  full  con- 
viction in  our  oppressors  that  we  are  united  in  sup- 
porting each  other  in  a  determined  refusal  to  give  any 
countenance  to  these  arbitrary  claims  of  power  over 
us.  To  these  reasons  for  assisting  our  aforesaid  breth- 
ren, we  likewise  add  that  we  have  frequently  given 
encouragement  to  stand  by  each  other  in  this  cause, 
and  are  bound  by  sacred  obligations  to  these  expres- 
sions of  obedience  to  Christ." 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  adopted  by 
the  constitutional  convention,  was  submitted  to  the 
several  States  for  ratification,  September  17,  1787. 
Its  only  provision  concerning  religion  was  the  sixth 
article :  "  No  religious  test  shall  ever  be  required  as 
a  qualification  to  any  office  or  public  trust  under  the 
United  States."  This  did  not  meet  the  wishes  of  the 
Baptists,  who  desired  that  it  should  contain  a  sufficient 
guaranty  of  religious  liberty.  Mr.  Backus  at  first  was 
among  those  who  were  strenuous  in  their  opposition 
to  the  Federal  Constitution  on  this  account.   In  Massa- 


122   HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS    IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

chusetts  a  convention  for  the  adoption  or  rejection  of 
the  Constitution  met  at  Boston,  January  9,  1788. 
Among  the  Baptists  in  the  convention  were  Dr.  Still- 
man,  of  Boston ;  Mr.  Backus,  of  Middleboro ;  and 
Mr.  Alden,  of  Bellinghara.  President  Manning  also 
was  present  on  account  of  his  interest  in  the  accept- 
ance of  the  Constitution.  He  did  not  share  the  fears 
of  many  of  his  brethren,  and  labored  to  secure  its 
adoption.  Dr.  Stillman  took  the  same  view.  The 
Constitution  was  adopted — one  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  yeas  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  nays. 
By  invitation  of  Governor  Hancock,  and  doubtless  as 
a  recognition  of  President  Manning's  services  in 
brino-ino;  about  this  result,  Mr.  Manning  was  asked 
to  "close  the  solemn  convocation  with  thanksgiving 
and  prayer."  Dropping  upon  his  knees  he  "  poured 
out  his  heart  in  a  strain  of  exalted  patriotism  and 
fervid  devotion,  which  awakened  in  the  assembly  a 
mingled  sentiment  of  admiration  and  awe."  ^ 

Tlie  position  taken  by  Mr.  Manning,  and  those 
who  agreed  with  him,  was  fully  justified.  An  amend- 
ment to  the  Constitution  was  proposed  in  the  follow- 
ing year  to  this  effect:  "Art.  1.  Congress  shall 
make  no  law  respecting  an  establishment  of  religion, 
or  prohibiting  the  free  exercise  thereof,  or  abridging 
the  freedom  of  speech  or  of  the  press,  or  the  right  of 
the  people  peaceably  to  assemble  and  to  petition  the 
government  for  a  redress  of  grievances."  This  amend- 

1  Guild's  "  Maiming  and  Brown  University,"  pp.  404,  405. 


THE   CO^■TEST   FOR   EELIGIOUS   LIBEETY.      123 

ment  was  adopted  by  the  several  States,  and  the  Bap- 
tist doctrine  of  soul  liberty  became  a  part  of  the  or- 
ganic law  of  the  United  States. 

The  Baptists  in  Massachusetts,  however,  were  still 
subjected  to  oppressive  measures.  In  January,  1790, 
a  collector  in  Barnstable,  for  a  ministerial  tax  of  less 
than  two  dollars,  seized  the  horse  of  one  of  the  com- 
mittee of  the  Baptist  society  in  that  town ;  and  al- 
though the  collector  oifered  to  return  a  small  part  of 
the  value  of  the  horse  his  offer  was  refused.  The 
Warren  Association  met  in  Boston,  January  24,  1791, 
and  a  committee  of  the  Association,  of  which  Dr. 
Stillman  was  chairman,  addressed  a  letter  to  the  com- 
mittee of  the  First  Parish  in  Barnstable.  After  re- 
ferring to  the  fact  that  the  Baptist  church  in  Barn- 
stable belonged  to  the  Warren  Association,  and  the 
added  fact  that  some  of  the  members  of  that  church 
had  been  repeatedly  taxed  and  their  property  taken 
from  them  to  support  the  Congregational  minister  in 
that  place  while  they  had  a  minister  of  their  own  to 
support,  they  say  :  "  We,  the  committee  of  the  Baptist 
churches,  think  it  our  duty  to  say,  that  in  an  age  and 
country  as  enlightened  as  this  is,  such  acts  of  injustice 
were  not  to  be  expected.  .  .  As  a  denomination  of 
Christians  we  stand  on  an  equal  footing  with  any  in 
the  Commonwealth,  and  this  equality  we  mean  to 
maintain  by  every  proper  method  in  our  power.  If 
the  parish  refuse  to  return  the  moneys  taken  from  our 
society,  and  continues  to  tax  them  to  the  support  of  the 


124   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

Congregational  minister  of  Barnstable,  we  shall  be 
reduced  to  the  disagreeable  necessity  of  publishing 
the  whole  to  the  world,  and  of  taking  such  other  steps 
as  shall  appear  to  us  necessary."  ^  Those  who  signed 
this  letter  knew  their  defenseless  position  before  the 
law,  but  Avere  strong  in  the  conviction  that  at  the  bar 
of  public  opinion  they  would  make  out  their  case. 

In  general,  the  Baptists  of  Massachusetts  seem  to 
have  paid  their  ministerial  taxes,  and  subsequently, 
for  the  support  of  their  own  ministers,  secured  the 
return  of  the  money  they  had  paid.  In  some  commu- 
nities this  money  was  paid  over  without  hesitation ;  in 
other  cases  a  legal  process  was  necessary  in  order  to 
secure  it.  In  1811,  in  a  suit  for  money  thus  paid. 
Chief  Justice  Parsons  decided  that  no  society,  except 
a  society  incorporated  by  law,  could  be  entitled  to  the 
privilege  of  this  rebate.  A  petition  signed  by  Dr. 
Baldwin  and  many  thousands  of  the  citizens  of  the 
State  of  almost  every  denomination  was  presented  to 
the  legislature,  in  which  after  a  statement  of  facts  the 
request  was  made  that  the  several  existing  laws  re- 
specting the  support  of  the  ordinance  of  worship 
should  be  "  so  revised  and  amended  that  all  denom- 
inations of  Christians  may  be  exempt  from  being 
taxed  for  the  support  of  religious  teachers,  excepting 
those  whose  ministrations  they  voluntarily  attend." 

The  matter  was  the  occasion  of  a  long  and  animated 

1  Backus,  "Hist,  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England,"  Vol.  II., 
p.  352,  note. 


THE   CONTEST   FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.      125 

discussion.  Among  those  who  addressed  the  house 
M^as  Rev.  John  LelanJ,  whose  speech  has  been  pre- 
served. "  The  petitioners  pray,"  he  said,  "  for  the 
right  of  going  to  heaven  in  that  way  which  they  be- 
lieve is  the  most  direct ;  and  shall  this  be  denied 
them  ?  Must  they  be  obliged  to  pay  legal  toll  for 
walking  the  king's  highway,  which  he  has  made  free 
for  all  ?  Is  not  this  a  greater  subordination  than  to 
sail  under  British  licenses,  or  to  pay  three  pence  on 
every  pound  of  tea  ?  In  Rhode  Island,  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  Delaware,  of  the  old 
Colonies;  and  in  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  Ohio, 
the  new  States,  there  has  never  been  any  legal  estab- 
lishment of  religion,  nor  any  assessment  to  support 
Protestant  Christianity  for  tlie  good  of  the  States; 
and  yet,  sir,  these  States  have  stood  and  flourished  as 
well  as  Massachusetts.  Since  the  Revolution,  all  the 
old  States,  except  two  or  three  in  New  England,  have 
established  religious  liberty  upon  its  true  bottom  ;  and 
yet  they  are  not  sunk  with  earthquakes  or  destroyed 
"with  fire  and  brimstone."  ' 

In  June,  1811,  a  law  was  passed  by  the  General 
Court,  providing  that  whenever  any  person  shall  be- 
come a  member  of  any  religious  society,  incorporate 
or  unincorporate,  and  shall  produce  a  certificate  of 
such  membership  to  the  clerk  of  the  town  where  he 
resides,  signed  by  a  committee  of  the  society  chosen 

*  Benedict,  "  General  History  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in 
America,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  484. 


126    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

for  the  purpose,  such  persoa  shall  ever  afterward,  so 
long  as  he  continues  such  membership,  be  exempted 
from  taxation  for  tlie  support  of  public  worship  and 
public  teachers  of  religion  in  every  other  religious 
corporation  whatsoever. 

This  law  was  not  satisfactory  to  the  Baptists,  as  it 
did  not  secure  to  them  exemption  from  all  taxes  and 
certificates,  yet  it  afforded  relief  from  the  oppressions 
they  had  so  long  endured. 

A  convention  was  held  in  1820,  for  the  purpose  of 
revising  the  constitution  of  the  State.  Among  the 
members  of  the  convention  were  Rev.  Thomas  Bald- 
win, D.  D.,  of  Boston ;  Rev.  N.  W.  Williams,  of 
Beverly  ;  Hon.  Hemau  Lincoln,  of  Boston  ;  and  other 
Baptists,  who  were  prominent  in  the  endeavor  to  erad- 
icate from  the  Bill  of  Rights  those  provisions  that  had 
proved  so  troublesome  and  oppressive.  Tiie  discus- 
sion was  a  protracted  one.  Dr.  Baldwin  and  Mr.  Wil- 
liams stated  the  Baptist  position  clearly  and  forcibly. 

Mr.  Williams  offered  the  following  amendment  to 
the  fourth  resolution  of  the  committee :  ''  Resolved, 
That  every  religious  society,  incorporated  or  not  incor- 
porated, shall  have  power  to  raise  moneys  for  the  sup- 
port of  their  respective  teachers  and  incidental  ex- 
penses, in  such  manner  as  they  shall  determine  by  the 
vote  of  a  majority  of  the  legal  voters  assembled  at  any 
meeting,  warned  and  held  according  to  law."  Daniel 
Webster,  who  was  a  member  of  the  convention,  op- 
posed Mr.  Williams'  resolution.    He  was  content  with 


THE   CONTEST   FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.      127 

the  constitution  as  it  was,  he  said.  Mr.  Williams' 
resolution  was  defeated  by  a  vote  of  one  hundred  and 
seventy-nine  to  one  hundred  and  eighty-six.  The 
amendments  to  the  Bill  of  llights  adopted  by  the  con- 
vention, however,  failed  of  ratification  by  the  people, 
so  that  the  third  article  of  that  bill  remained  in  force. 
Nevertheless,  the  end  came  at  length.  During  the  ses- 
sion of  the  legislature  for  1832-33,  the  third  article  of 
the  Bill  of  Rights  was  so  amended  that  the  right  of 
the  several  religious  societies  in  the  Commonwealth  to 
elect  their  pastors  or  religious  teachers,  to  contract 
with  them  for  their  support,  and  to  raise  money  for 
erecting  and  repairing  houses  of  public  worship  for 
the  maintenance  of  religious  instruction,  etc.,  was  fully 
recognized.  This  amendment  was  ratified  by  the  peo- 
ple November  11,  1833,  and  Church  and  State  in 
Massachusetts  were  forever  separated.  The  great 
battle,  so  well  fought,  had  at  length  been  won. 

For  his  long-continued  and  unwearied  labors  in 
securing  religious  liberty,  Isaac  Backus  deserves  to  be 
held  in  lasting  remembrance.  He  did  not  live  to  wit- 
ness the  fulfillment  of  his  hopes  ;  but  the  value  of  his 
heroic  services  is  recognized  more  and  more,  and  re- 
cently a  worthy  memorial,  dedicated  June  30,  1893, 
has  replaced  at  his  grave  in  Middleboro,  Mass.,  the 
earlier  monument  which  bore  only  his  name,  and  the 
date  of  his  birth  and  death.  On  the  new  monument 
he  is  justly  called  "  A  Pioneer  Champion  of  Religious 
Libertv." 


128    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

The  value  of  the  services  of  the  Baptists  in  secur- 
ing this  victory  has  been  gratefully  acknowledged. 
E,8V.  John  S.  Clarke,  D.  D.,  in  his  "  Congregational 
Churches  in  Massachusetts,"  referrins;  to  the  struy-o-le 
occasioned  by  the  third  article  of  the  Bill  of  Rights, 
says:^  "Conceding  to  tlie  framers  of  that  article  all 
honesty  of  intention  and  purity  of  motiv^e,  we  must 
also  concede  to  our  Baptist  brethren  the  credit  of 
holding  the  truth  on  this  point — a  very  great  and 
practical  truth,  which  has  since  been  acknowledged 
by  the  nearly  unanimous  action  of  the  Commonwealth 
in  expunging  that  article,  and  leaving  religion  to  its 
own  inherent  vital  energy,  with  the  promised  bless- 
ing of  God,  for  its  support  and  propagation." 

The  Baptists  in  other  parts  of  New  England  had 
the  same  grievances,  and  contended  earnestly  in  the 
same  great  conflict  for  religious  liberty.  In  the  dis- 
trict of  Maine,  in  1771,  "a  good  riding  beast"  was 
taken  from  Joseph  Moody,  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
churcli  in  Gorham,  who  had  refused  to  pay  the  minis- 
terial tax.  In  a  petition  Mr.  Moody  carried  his  case 
to  the  General  Court  at  Boston,  with  the  request  that 
the  members  of  the  Court,  like  the  good  Samaritan 
of  old,  would  set  him  upon  his  own  beast ;  but  this 
was  not  done.  At  Berwick,  the  horse  of  Mr.  Emery, 
the  pastor  of  the  church,  was  seized,  and  from  Mr. 
John  Emery,  of  York,  the  family  pewter  was  taken, 
although  both  had  provided  themselves  with  the  cer- 
1  Pp.  222,  223. 


THE  CONTEST   FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.       129 

tificates  required  by  law,  as  had  also  Mr.  Moody,  of 
Gorham. 

The  earliest  records  of  the  Baptist  church  in  New- 
ton, N.  H.,  carry  us  back  to  October  7,  1767,  when 
two  of  its  members  were  in  ihe  firm  grip  of  the  law. 
On  that  date  the  church  voted  "  to  carry  on  Mr. 
Steward's  and  Mr.  Carter's  lawsuits,  which  are  now 
in  the  law  on  account  of  rates  imposed  on  them  bv 
the  Standing  Order."  Three  years  passed  before  the 
suit  was  settled,  and  it  was  then  ordered  to  "  propor- 
tion the  whole  costs  of  these  suits."  While  a  large 
part  of  the  State  was  unsettled,  in  the  new  towns  a 
grant  of  one  lot  of  land  was  provided  for  the  first  set- 
tled minister,  and  another  for  the  support  of  the  min- 
ister, A  few  Baptist  ministers  obtained  these  lands, 
as  they  were  the  first  settled  in  the  places  in  which 
they  resided. 

When  Rev.  Job  Seamans  removed  from  Attleboro, 
Mass.,  in  1788,  and  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
church  organized  in  New  London  that  year,  as  he 
was  the  first  minister  in  the  town  he  received  a  errant 
of  land,  and  he  was  also  supported  for  a  while  by  a 
tax ;  but  at  length  finding  it  "to  be  such  a  bondage" 
to  be  supported  in  this  way,  he  refused  to  accept  fur- 
ther aid  from  the  town. 

In  fact,  the  constitution  of  New  Hampshire  pro- 
vided •'  that  no  person  of  any  one  particular  religious 
sect  or  denomination,  shall  ever  be  compelled  to  pay 
toward  the  support  of  the  teachers  of  another  persua- 

I 


130   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

siou,  sect,  or  denomination."  While  in  a  few  cases 
Baptists  and  others  were  compelled  to  file  certificates, 
or  make  some  formal  declaration  of  their  faith,  in 
order  to  obtain  relief  from  the  payment  of  parish 
rates,  in  general  they  were  left  to  walk  the  peaceful 
ways  they  sought,  asking  only  from  the  civil  power 
that  they  should  be  let  alone. 

The  early  settlers  in  Vermont  were  largely  Con- 
gregationalists  from  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut, 
and  a  law  was  passed  empowering  parishes  to  levy  a 
general  tax  for  btiilding  meeting-houses  and  support- 
ing their  ministers.  Vermont  was  admitted  into  the 
Union  in  1791.  Dr.  Asaph  Fletcher,  who  for  many 
years  had  been  interested  in  the  movement  for  re- 
ligious liberty,  removed  from  Massachusetts  to  Cav- 
endish, Vt.,  in  1787.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
convention  which  applied  for  the  admission  of  the 
State  into  the  Union,  aud  also  of  the  convention  to 
revise  the  constitution  in  1793;  and  although  he 
and  others  contended  for  a  separation  of  Church 
aud  State,  their  hopes  were  disappointed.  Baptists 
in  some  cases  continued  to  be  taxed  for  the  support 
of  Congregational  ministers,  and  were  subjected  not 
only  to  costs  but  imprisonment  on  account  of  their 
refusal  to  pay  the  same.  Accordingly  petitions  were 
presented  to  the  legislature  in  1794,  objecting  to  the 
certificate  law  on  the  ground  that  it  was  contrary  to 
the  rights  of  man,  of  conscience,  and  of  the  first,  third 
fourth,  and  seventh  articles  of  the  constitution.     The 


THE   CONTEST   FOR   EELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.       131 

law,  however,  was  allowed  to  stand  until  November 
3,  1801,  when  the  legislature  passed  an  act  repealing 
so  much  of  the  former  act  as  related  to  procuring 
certificates ;  but  the  law  still  made  the  voters  liable 
to  be  taxed  for  religious  purposes,  unless  individually 
they  should  declare  in  writing  that  they  were  not  in 
agreement  in  religious  opinion  with  a  majority  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town,  or  parish.  This  law  re- 
mained in  force  until  October  24,  1807,  when  the 
legislature  passed  an  act  repealing  all  the  oppressive 
statutes,  and  thus  securiug  religious  as  well  as  civil 
liberty  to  the  people  of  the  State.  Two  Baptist  minis- 
ters, Rev.  Aaron  Leland  and  E,ev.  Ezra  Butler,  were 
at  this  time  members  of  the  legislature,  and  were 
prominent  in  bringing  about  this  result.  Mr.  Leland 
was  speaker  of  the  House  and  Mr.  Butler  was  a 
member  of  the  Senate.  From  1826  to  1828,  Mr. 
Butler  was  governor  of  Vermont,  with  Mr.  Leland 
as  lieutenant  governor. 

The  laws  of  Connecticut  at  this  early  period,  like 
those  of  Massachusetts,  imposed  ministerial  taxes. 
The  General  Assembly  at  its  May  session  in  1 729, 
exempted  Quakers  from  the  payment  of  these  taxes. 
September  6,  1729,  at  North  Kingston,  R.  L,  ihe 
Baptist  Association  with  which  tlie  Connecticut  Bap- 
tist churches  were  connected,  prepared  and  signed  a 
petition  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut 
asking  from  that  body  that  the  Baptists  also  might 
be  exempted  from  taxes  to  ministers  and  meeting- 


132    HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

houses.  Governor  Jenckes^  of  Riiode  Island,  con- 
curred with  others  in  a  supplementary  memorial  to 
the  same  end,  and  the  General  Assembly,  which  met 
at  New  Haven,  October  9,  1729,  enacted  such  a  law. 
This  law  continued  in  force  until  May,  1791,  when 
the  ruling  party,  wishing  to  make  it  more  difficult  to 
obtain  such  a  certificate,  passed  a  law  i-equiring  that 
the  certificate  to  be  valid  should  be  signed  by  two 
magistrates.  The  Baptists  remonstrated,  and  the  law 
was  repealed  in  October  following,  and  a  new  law 
enacted  only  requiring  a  certificate  from  the  party 
desiring  exemption.  Until  1756,  the  Quakers  and 
Baptists  were  the  only  dissenters  thus  exempted. 
Like  provision  was  then  made  for  all  dissenting 
persons  who  ordinarily  attended  the  meetings  of 
their  own  societies,  and  paid  their  due  proportion, 
etc. ;  otherwise  they  should  be  taxed.  In  May,  1791, 
as  indicated  above,  it  was  enacted  that  all  exemption 
certificates  should  be  signed  by  two  magistrates.  The 
new  law  met  with  much  opposition,  and  the  act  was  re- 
pealed in  October  following,  and  a  new  law  enacted, 
whi'"h  allowed  a  dissenter  to  write  his  own  exemption 
certificate.  The  certificate  system,  however,  was  ob- 
noxious to  the  Baptists  of  Connecticut  as  elsewhere. 
In  churches  and  Associations  they  adopted  resolutions 
demanding  religious  liberty,  and  their  efforts  were 
rewarded  in  1818,  when  the  new  constitution  was 
adopted  which  secured  to  the  people  of  Connecticut 
the  rights  of  conscience.     The  article  which  contained 


THE  CONTEST   FOR   RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY.      133 

this  provision  was  drafted  by  a  Baptist  minister,  Rev. 
Asahel  Morse,  of  Suffield.  In  his  autobiography,*  Dr. 
Lyman  Beecher,  referring  to  this  great  change  in  the 
fundamental  law  of  the  State,  wrote  :  ''It  was  as  dark 
a  day  as  ever  I  saw.  The  odium  thrown  upon  the 
ministry  was  inconceivable.  The  injury  done  to  the 
cause  of  Christ,  as  we  then  supposed,  was  irreparable. 
For  several  days  I  suffered  what  no  tongue  can  tell  for 
the  best  thing  that  ever  happened  to  the  State  of 
Connecticut.  It  cut  the  churches  loose  from  depend- 
ence on  State  support.  It  threw  them  wholly  on 
their  own  resources  and  on  God." 

»  Vol.  I.,  p.  344. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS. 

rpHE  growth  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England  during 
-L  the  last  quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century  was 
the  result  very  largely  of  missionary  activity.  Men 
of  apostolic  spirit,  believing  in  the  gospel  as  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation,  made  their  way  into 
the  new  settlements,  gathered  the  people  under  the 
open  skies,  or  in  schoolhouses  and  barns,  and  de- 
clared their  message  with  such  tokens  of  the  Divine 
approval  that  souls  were  converted  and  churches  or- 
ganized. The  Warren  Association  at  an  early  period 
in  its  history  made  arrangements  for  the  supply  of 
these  infant  churches.  In  1778,  Rev.  W.  Jacobs, 
Rev.  Biel  Ledoyt,  Rev.  J.  Seamans,  and  Rev.  E. 
Ransom  were  requested  to  visit  "the  northern  parts 
of  our  country."  At  the  next  meeting  of  the  Associa- 
tion a  report  was  made  of  the  labors  of  these  breth- 
ren, when  "  very  agreeable  accounts  were  received  of 
their  free  reception  in  many  places,  and  some  in- 
stances of  very  remarkable  and  glorious  eifects  of  the 
gospel."  The  churches  in  Massachusetts  contributed 
eighty-one  pounds  and  ten  shillings  for  this  service, 
and  Elders  Jacobs  and  Hunt  were  appointed  to  travel 
134 


ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS.         135 

and  labor  in  the  northern  towns  in  the  fall,  and 
Elders  Aiden  and  Fletcher  in  the  spring. 

As  early  as  1784,  in  the  Stonington  Association  in 
Connecticut,  and  in  1790  in  the  Danbury  Association, 
in  the  same  State,  arrangements  were  made  for  the 
supply  of  destitute  churches. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Woodstock  Association  in 
Vermont,  in  1791,  action  was  taken  as  follows: 
"  Whereas,  We  find  a  number  of  our  brethren  in  the 
ministry,  viz.,  Elders  Jedediah  Hibbard,  Joseph  Call, 
Nehemiah  Woodward,  and  John  Hibbard,  disposed 
to  journey  to  the  northward,  to  preach  the  gospel  in 
a  great  number  of  infant  settlements  of  Connecticut 
River,  in  the  upper  Coos  country;  also  to  journey 
through  the  north  part  of  the  State  of  Vermont,  even 
as  far  as  Caldwell's  Manor,  within  Canada  lines ; 
being  desirous  to  encourage  so  laudable  a  design, 
we  recommend  them  as  faithful  ministers  o'f  Christ, 
wishing  them  much  of  the  grace  of  God,  that  they 
may  see  the  fruits  of  their  laboi's.  And  as  the  jour- 
ney will  be  very  expensive,  we  recommend  to  the 
churches  to  raise  something  by  contribution  to  defray 
the  charges  of  said  ministers  in  their  journey."  Re- 
ports from  the  missionaries  engaged  in  this  service 
bear  witness  to  the  continued  interest  of  the  Asso- 
ciation in  subsequent  years,  and  in  1804,  occurs  the 
following  record :  '•  Voted,  That  Elders  Searaans, 
Kendrick,  and  Higbee  be  a  committee  to  form  a  plan 
for  a  missionary  society  and  present  it  at  our  next 


336    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

meeting."  The  Woodstock  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety was  organized  in  1806.  In  the  Shaftsbury 
Association,  in  1801,  a  proposition  for  raising  a  fund 
by  contribution  "  for  the  purpose  of  sending  mis- 
sionaries to  preach  the  gospel  in  distant  parts  of  our 
frontier  settlements,  and  as  far  as  we  may  have  oppor- 
tunity, among  the  nations  of  the  wilderness."  At  the 
meeting  of  the  Association  in  1802,  a  plan  of  organi- 
zation was  effected  and  operations  were  begun.  Rev. 
Caleb  Blood  received  an  appointment  as  missionary 
of  the  Association,  and  labored  from  Cayuga  Lake 
to  the  head  of  Ontario.  In  1803,  Lemuel  Covell 
and  Obed  Warren  went  to  Western  New  York  and 
upper  Canada ;  and  so  for  each  successive  year  mis- 
sionaries were  sent  out  by  the  Association.  The  same 
was  true  of  the  Vermont  Association. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  labors  of 
Rev.  Hezekiah  Smith,  in  New  Hampshire.  Others, 
like  Shepard,  of  Brentwood,  Baldwin,  of  Canaan, 
and  Ballon  of  Richmond,  from  1770  on,  performed  a 
large  amount  of  missionary  service.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Association  at  Wells,  in  the 
District  of  Maine,  June  13,  1799,  it  was  voted  "to 
send  a  missionary  to  preach  and  administer  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel  in  the  eastern  country."  Rev. 
Isaac  Case,  the  pioneer  Baptist  missionary  in  Maine, 
was  present  at  this  meeting ;  and  it  was  doubtless  at 
his  suggestion  that  this  work  was  undertaken.  He  was 
likewise  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  Bowdoinham 


ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS.         137 

Association,  also  in  the  District  of  Maine,  August 
29,  1799,  when  it  was  "voted  to  recommend  to  the 
churches  in  the  Association  to  raise  money  by  contri- 
bution for  the  support  of  a  gospel  mission."     A  col- 
lection of  fifteen  dollars  for  this  purpose  was  made 
at  the  meeting,  and  a  committee  was  chosen  to  "  su- 
perintend the  business."     Mr.  Case,  who  knew  the 
needs  of  the  eastern  country,  was  ready  to  consecrate 
himself  to  the  work,  and  he  was  accordingly  selected 
as  the  first  missionary  of  the  Association.    E,esi<'-nino' 
his  pastorate  at  E,eadfield,  he  accepted  the  appoint- 
ment with  the   prospect   of  a    scanty   sup})ort,    and 
hurried   away   to   the   destitute   fields.       When   the 
Bowdoinham  Association  met  at  Greene,  August  27, 
1800,  the  missionary  was  present  with  a  report  of  his 
labors.     In  the  Minutes  of  that  year  it  is  recorded  : 
"  Agreeably  to  a  vote  of  the  Association  the  last  vear. 
Elder  Case  visited  the  new  settlements  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the    Province  of  Maine,    as    a    missionarv, 
to  preach  the  gospel  in   places  destitute    of   settled 
ministers,  who  reported  a  very  pleasing  account  of 
the  advancement  of  tiie  Redeemer's  kingdom. in  many 
places  he  visited,  and  that  there  appeared  to  be  a  door 
open  for  great  usefulness  in  preaching  the  eospel  ih 
those  parts."     There  is  also  in  the  Minutes  the  added 
item :  "  Agreeable  to  a  request  of  the  Association  tiie 
last  year,  a  contribution  was  received  .  .   .   for  tiie 
support  of  a  gospel  mission,  amounting  to  forty-three 
dollars  and  ten  cents." 


138    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

The  New  Hampshire  Association  at  its  meeting  at 
Brentwood,  N.  H.,  June  11,  1800,  "chose  Elders 
William  Hooper,  Henry  Smith,  and  William  Batch- 
.  elder  to  employ  a  suitable  ordained  elder  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  travel" into  the  eastern  parts  to  preacli  and 
administer  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel."  Contri- 
butions from  the  churches  were  reported,  and  tlie 
collection  at  the  Association  for  the  mission  amounted 
to  twenty-five  dollars  and  seventy  cents. 

Rev.  John  Tripp,  of  Hebron,  District  of  Maine, 
made  a  missionary  journey  to  the  eastward  in  Janu- 
ary and  February,  1801. 

The  tidings  that  came  from  these  missionaries 
stirred  the  hearts  of  the  brethren  in  Massachusetts, 
as  did  the  tidings  that  came  from  Carey  and  his  asso- 
ciates in  India;  and  May  26,  1802,  the  Massachusetts 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  held  its  first  meeting,  at 
the  First  Baptist  Church,  in  Boston.  Those  who 
were  prominent  in  the  organization  of  this  society 
were  animated,  they  said,  by  the  laudable  exertions 
which  many  of  their  Christian  friends  of  different 
denominations  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic  were 
making  ''to  extend  the  empire  of  truth  and  promote 
the  salvation  of  dying  men."  Article  IV.,  of  the 
constitution,  was  as  follows  :  "  The  object  of  this  so- 
ciety shall  be  to  furnish  occasional  preaching  and  to 
promote  the  knowledge  of  evangelic  truth  in  the  new 
settlements  in  the  United  States;  or  farther,  if  cir- 
cumstances should  render  it  proper."     The  manage- 


ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS.         139 

ment  of  the  society  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  twelve 
trustees,  of  whom  Rev.  Dr.  Stillnian,  of  Boston,  was 
chairman,  and  Rev.  Thomas  Waterman  was  secre- 
tary. The  first  missionaries  appointed  were  Rev. 
Isaac  Case,  Rev.  John  Tripp,  and  Rev.  Joseph  Cor- 
nell. Messrs.  Case  and  Tripp  were  requested  to  visit 
the  new  settlements  in  the  District  of  Maine  and  New 
Hampshire,  and  Mr.  Cornell  was  sent  to  the  new 
settlements  in  the  northwesterly  parts  of  New  York 
and  the  adjacent  settlements  of  Canada. 

In  September,  of  the  following  year,  the  society  com- 
menced the  publication  of  the  "  Massachusetts  Baptist 
Missionary  Magazine,"  the  earliest  Baptist  period- 
ical published  in  the  country.  For  several  years  the 
magazine  appeared  only  semi-annually,  and  the  first 
volume  of  twelve  numbers  was  not  completed  until 
January,  1808  ;  but  the  information  it  contained  witli 
reference  to  the  religious  destitution  of  the  new  settle- 
ments, and  the  readiness  of  the  people  "  but  little 
removed  from  pagan  ignorance"  to  receive  the  mis- 
sionary and  his  message,  had  a  powerful  effect  in 
developing  the  spirit  of  missions. 

The  organization  of  the  Massachusetts  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  led  the  brethren  in  Maine  to 
contemplate  a  more  orderly  method  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  their  missionary  work,  and  accordingly  a 
constitution,  similar  to  that  of  the  Massachusetts 
society,  was  prepared  and  printed.  Those  interested 
in  the  formation   of  the  Society  met  at  Readficld, 


140   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN    NEW   ENGLAND. 

September  27,  1804,  and  organized  the  Maine  Baptist 
Missionary  Society.  The  sum  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty  dollars  was  collected  for  missionary  work,  and  a 
larger  sum  in  the  succeeding  year.  In  August,  1806, 
the  Society  began  the  publication  of  the  "  Maine  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Register.'^  Only  two  numbers,  how- 
ever, were  printed,  the  second  appearing  in  August, 
1808. 

These  two  publications,  one  in  Massachusetts  and 
one  in  Maine,  contain  information  nowhere  else  to 
be  found  concerning  the  beginnings  of  organized  mis- 
sionary work  on  the  part  of  the  Baptists  of  New 
England. 

In  the  "  Register  "  we  have  an  account  of  Rev.  J  ohn 
Tripp's  missionary  tour  to  places  east  of  the  Penob- 
scot in  January  and  February,  1801.  In  June,  1802, 
Mr.  Tripp  and  Mr.  Case  visited  Mount  Desert,  and 
other  places  in  the  vicinity.  In  October,  Mr.  Tripp 
spent  a  week  in  the  new  settlements  upon  and  near 
the  Androscoggin  River.  A  Sunday  was  passed  at 
Bethel.  "  I  affected  not  to  be  a  Calvinist  or  Ar- 
miuian,  but  a  Christian  minister,"  he  wrote.  "  I 
endeavored  not  to  confound  my  hearers  with  bold 
assertions,  but  as  much  as  in  me  lay  to  inform  their 
undei'standings ;  and  I  huve  reason  to  hope  it  was 
not  altogether  in  vain."  In  May,  1803,  lie  was  again 
in  Bethel,  and  in  June  visited  Rumford,  Paris,  An- 
dover,  Bethel,  and  Little's  Grant  (Woodstock). 

Mr.  Case's  first  published  report  to  the  Massachu- 


ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS.         141 

setts  Society  was  dated  February  10,  1803.  He  had 
visited  Meduncook  (Friendship),  Goshen  (Vienna), 
Thomaston,  Camden,  Canaan,  Vassalboro,  Fox  IsUind, 
Mount  Desert,  Ballstowii  (Whitefield),  Hartford,  Sum- 
ner, and  Thompson's  Grant.  One  of  those  whom  he 
baptized  on  this  tour  was  converted  by  a  fitting  word 
spoken  by  Mr.  Case  in  1783.  At  Vassalboro  he  had 
the  help  of  Rev.  Daniel  Merrill,  of  Sedgwick,  then  a 
Congregationalist,  "  who  was  also  out  on  a  mission  " ; 
and  Mr.  Case  adds  :  "  We  mutually  joined  together  as 
two  brotliers  engaged  in  the  same  great  cause."  He 
closed  his  report  with  these  words :  "  There  were  so 
many  doors  open  for  preaching  that  I  hardly  knew 
what  course  to  steer,  or  what  place  stood  in  most  need. 
For  if  I  had  had  a  dozen  bodies  and  as  many  tongues, 
they  might  have  all  been  employed  among  the  poor 
and  destitute  who  desired  to  hear  and  thankfully 
attend  on  the  preached  word." 

Among  those  who  performed  missionary  service  in 
Maine  was  Rev.  Sylvanus  Boardman,  of  Livermore, 
the  father  of  the  distinguished  missionary,  George 
Dana  Boardman.  Early  in  1804,  Mr.  Boardman 
visited  Industry,  Norridgwock,  Canaan,  Anson,  New 
Portland,  Greenstown,  and  Carratunk.  "  I  went  to 
the  uppermost  house  in  the  highest  settlement  on  the 
Kennebec  River,"  he  wrote,  "  but  soon  returned  to 
the  middle  and  lower  settlements."  He  was  absent 
from  liome  twenty-eight  days,  and  preached  twenty- 
eight  times.     "I  met  with  a  kind  reception  from  all; 


142   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW  ENGLAND. 

my  wants  were  all  supplied ;  and  difficulties  I  ex- 
perienced none,  but  what  arose  from  my  own  sinful 
heart." 

E,ev.  P.  P.  Roots,  a  missionary  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Society,  received  an  appointment  in  May,  1804, 
to  visit  the  District  of  Maine.  He  was  also  employed 
in  visitins:  the  destitute  reo-ions  of  New  York  and 
Pennsylvania. 

Referring  to  the  persons  whom  he  baptized  on  a 
missionary  tour  in  the  autumn  of  1804,  Rev.  Isaac 
Case  wrote :  "  Two  of  them  are  young  men,  Henry 
Hale  and  Thomas  Perkins.  They  are  at  present 
studying  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Merrill,  of  Sedgwick, 
with  a  view  to  the  ministry.  It  will  be  natural  for 
you  to  inquire  what  effect  it  has  upon  Mr.  Merrill, 
his  students  becoming  Baptists.  I  will  just  say  I 
have  made  him  a  short  visit,  and  find  him  fully  con- 
vinced of  believers'  baptism  by  immersion."  Mr. 
Merrill  was  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in 
Sedgwick.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  1789,  was  ordained  at  Sedgwick  in  September, 
1793,  and  under  his  ministry  the  Sedgwick  Church 
had  become  the  largest  in  the  State.  The  inquiries 
of  his  students  led  him  to  make  a  thorougli  investi- 
gation of  the  subject  of  baptism.  Convinced  at 
length  of  the  rightfulness  of  the  Baptist  position  he 
frankly  avowed  to  his  people  his  change  of  views. 
The  church  called  a  council  of  Baptist  ministers, 
February  28,  1805,  in  which  council  Dr.  Baldwin  of 


ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS.         143 

Boston,  Eev.  Elisha  Williams  of  Beverly,  and  others 
participated.  As  a  result  of  their  deliberations,  Mr. 
Merrill  and  a  large  number  of  his  flock  were  accepted 
for  baptism,  and  the  Congregational  church  in  Sedg- 
wick became  a  Baptist  church. 

It  being  understood  that  there  were  persons  wiio 
purposed  to  bequeath  property  to  the  Massacluisetts 
Baptist  Missionary  Society,  an  act  of  incorpora- 
tion was  secured  from  the  legislature  of  the  State, 
February  28,  1808,  under  the  name  of  the  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  in  Massachusetts.  The  "Mission- 
ary Magazine"  continued  to  publish  interesting  reports 
from  missionaries  who  were  employed  by  the  So- 
ciety in  the  New  England  States,  also  in  New  York 
and  in  the  Canadian  provinces. 

In  Connecticut,  the  measures  with  reference  to  mis- 
sionary organization  were  adopted  at  an  early  period. 
The  Danbury  Association,  in  1806,  considered  the 
subject  of  appointing  a  missionary.  As  the  result 
of  this  consideration  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
take  charge  of  the  work,  and  the  churches  were  re- 
quested to  contribute  for  its  support.  In  1810,  the 
Danbury  Association  placed  itself  on  record  in  this 
matter  as  follows  :  "  As  we  consider  it  important  that 
the  destitute  churches  of  this  Association  and  others 
should  enjoy  the  ministry  of  the  word  and  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel ;  also  that  the  servants  of  Christ 
receive  a  temporal  support  while  fulfilling  their 
duty;    voted   that   Brethren    Wildman,    Mills,   and 


144    HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

Bradley  be  a  committee  to  adopt  a  plan  for  this  par- 
pose,  to  be  presented  for  consideration  at  our  next 
meeting."  Tiie  action  of  this  committee,  however, 
was  anticipated  by  the  organization  in  the  Associa- 
tion, the  next  year,  of  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society,  the  constitution  of  which  was  adopted 
October  3, 1811.  Under  tlie  direction  of  this  Society, 
work  in  destitute  fields  was  prosecuted  with  great 
vigor.  It  is  stated  that  the  gospel  was  preached  in 
almost  every  county  in  the  State  and  in  some  of  the 
towns  in  adjacent  States. 

In  1814,  by  invitation  of  tlie  First  Baptist  Church, 
in  Hartford,  a  convention  was  held  for  the  purpose 
of  considering  the  subject  of  "  aiding  the  missionary 
operations  in  the  East."  Rev.  Luther  Rice  was  pre- 
sent, and  at  that  time,  August  31,  1814,  the  Connecti- 
cut Auxiliary  to  the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
was  organized.  With  its  work  in  behalf  of  foreign 
mipsions,  the  Society  soon  began  to  combine  work  in 
behalf  of  domestic  missions,  and  the  constitution  was 
accordingly  modified.  This  organization,  afterward 
known  as  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Missionary  Society, 
continued  to  prosecute  its  work  for  both  foreign  and 
home  missions  until  the  organization  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Baptist  Convention  in  1823. 

Impressed  with  the  importance  of  increased  exer- 
tions to  extend  "  the  knowledge  of  divine  truth  to 
awaken  men  from  a  fatal  security  in  sin,"  Baptists  in 
Boston  and  vicinity  organized,  November  13,  1811, 


ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS.         145 

the  Evangelical  Tract  Society.  Rev.  Thomas  Bald- 
win, D.  D.,  was  elected  president ;  Ensign  Lincoln, 
secretary,  and  Heman  Lincoln,  treasurer,  while  on 
the  committee  by  which  its  affairs  was  managed  were 
Rev.  Lucius  Bolies,  Rev.  William  Batchelder,  Rev. 
Daniel  Sharp,  and  Messrs.  Henry  Howes  and  Amos 
Smith.  At  the  first  annual  meeting.  May  26,  1812, 
in  the  report  of  the  committee,  allusion  was  made  to 
the  work  the  Missionary  Society  had  accomplished, 
but  it  was  urged  that  the  Tract  Society  was  needed 
"  to  furnish  the  heralds  of  peace  witli  evangelical 
books  and  tracts"  for  general  circulation,  and  it  was 
added :  "  Should  our  funds  at  any  time  be  adequate, 
our  plan  admits  of  uniting  the  distribution  of  Bibles 
together  with  the  tracts." 

The  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  Massachusetts 
still  earnestly  prosecuted  its  beneficent  work.  The 
Board  in  its  report  in  1812,  said  :  "  The  northwesterly 
part  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  westerly 
part  of  the  State  of  New  York  have  been  visited  by 
several  of  our  missionaries,  and  the  solitary  places 
cheered  by  the  glad  sound  of  the  gospel.  Nova 
Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  with  some  parts  of 
Lower  Canada,  have  also  been  visited ;  and  the  pre- 
cious seed  of  the  kingdom  sown  among  them  by  the 
labors  of  our  brethren.  Nor  have  the  destitute  in 
Rhode  Island,  Vermont,  New  Hampshire,  and  the 
District  of  Maine  been  overlooked." 

In  fact,  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  Massa- 
K 


146    HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

chusetts  was  continually  enlarging  its  field  of  opera- 
tions. In  the  annual  report  for  1814,  those  who 
supported  it  were  urged  to  remember  that  there  were 
"  large  districts  of  our  country,  which  from  the  scat- 
tered situation  of  the  inhabitants,  are  unable  to  sup- 
port the  gospel.  These  poor  people,  who  are  like 
sheei)  without  a  shepherd,  have  claims  on  your  benev- 
olence." 

John  M.  Peck,  who  was  born  at  Litchfield,  South 
Farms,  Conn.,  October  31,  1789,  having  become  in- 
terested in  mission  work  by  the  influence  of  Rev. 
Luther  Rice,  received  an  appointment  from  the  Tri- 
ennial Convention  in  1817  ;  and  July  25,  with  his 
wife  and  three  little  ones,  he  set  out  in  a  small  one- 
horse  wagon  for  St.  Louis.  Here  he  organized  a 
church  in  1818  ;  and  from  this  point  he  carried  on 
various  missionary  enterprises  in  the  regions  beyond. 

The  Baptist  churches  that  had  already  been  planted 
in  the  INIississippi  Valley  were  largely  antinomian 
and  anti-mission.  By  the  members  of  these  churches, 
Sunday-schools,  Bible  Societies,  etc.,  were  regarded  as 
unscriptural  and  hostile  to  Christianity.  John  M. 
Peck  had  not  so  learned  Christ,  and  an  irrepressible 
conflict  arose,  in  which  after  a  long  and  severe  strug- 
gle the  evils  that  had  been  wrought  by  illiterate 
antinomian  and  anti-missiou  preachers  were  for  the 
most  part  extirpated.  But  complaints  from  these 
sources  reached  the  Triennial  Convention  in  1820, 
and  as  a  result,  through  the  influence  of  the  Southern 


ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS.         147 

and  Western  representatives,  support  was  withdrawn 
from  the  Western  mission,  and  Mr.  Peck  was  left  to 
continue  his  self-sacrificing  work  unaided.  Help, 
however,  he  must  have;  and  in  1822,  the  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  of  Massachusetts,  after  receiving  a 
soul-stirring  appeal  from  the  ardent  missionary,  gave 
him  an  appointment  in  its  service  at  a  salary  of  five 
dollars  a  week.  The  opportunity  for  missionary 
work  in  the  West,  Mr.  Peck  rightly  estimated.  "  My 
mind  is  often  deeply  impressed,"  he  wrote  in  1824, 
"  with  the  thouglit  that  I  am  laboring  for  future  gen- 
erations " ;  and  so,  with  fiery  energy,  he  devoted  him- 
self to  his  great  task.  In  1826,  he  attended  the  Tri- 
ennial Convention  in  Worcester,  Mass.,  where  he  met 
Rev.  Jonathan  Going.  To  him  he  opened  his  heart, 
disclosing  the  burden  he  felt  for  the  vast  territory 
into  which  settlers  in  great  numbers  were  already 
making  their  way.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  of  Massachusetts  immediately 
after,  he  sketched  the  needs  of  the  great  West,  and 
unfolded  a  plan  for  missionary  operations.  He  also 
spent  three  months  among  the  Baptist  churches  of 
Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  Connecticut,  tell- 
ing his  experience  and  urging  the  claims  of  the  West 
as  a  mission  field.  Then  he  hastened  back  to  his 
work. 

In  1831,  Rev.  Jonathan  Going,  commissioned  by 
the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  of  Massachusetts  to 
explore  the  western  field,  joined  Mr.  Peck.    Together 


148    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

the  two  traveled  over  large  portions  of  Missouri,  Illi- 
nois, Indiana,  and  Kentucky  •  and  when  at  length 
they  separated  at  Shelby  ville,  Mr.  Peck  wrote  in  his 
diary  :  ''  Here  we  agreed  on  the  plan  of  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society."  At  the  meeting  of 
the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  of  Massachusetts  in 
November,  1831,  Mr.  Going  made  a  report  concern- 
ing the  needs  of  the  Western  field ;  and  a  resolution 
was  adopted  that  tiie  Baptists  of  the  United  States 
ought  to  form  a  general  society  for  mission  work  in 
the  United  States,  especially  in  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi ;  and  a  deputation,  consisting  of  Dr. 
Sharp,  Dr.  Bolles,  and  Mr.  Going,  was  appointed  to 
visit  the  city  of  New  York,  and  confer  with  the  Bap- 
tist brethren  there,  especially  with  the  members  of  the 
New  York  Baptist  Missionary  Convention,  which  also 
had  a  mission  in  the  West.  As  a  result  of  this  con- 
ference the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society 
was  organized  in  New  York  in  April,  1832.  Mani- 
festly the  influences  that  led  to  its  organization  were 
largely  from  New  England ;  but  as  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Convention  now  had  its  headquarters  in  Bos- 
ton, the  headquarters  of  the  Home  Mission  Society 
were  wisely  located  in  New  York. 

New  England  has  not  only  retained  its  interest  in 
the  work  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety, but  that  interest  has  been  strengthened  with  the 
progress  of  the  work.  Rev.  A.  P.  Mason,  D.  D., 
who  had  been  District  Secretary  of  the  Society  for  New 


ORGANIZED   MISSIONARY   OPERATIONS.         149 

England  since  1866,  died  March  17,  1892 ;  and  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  F.  T.  Hazlewood,  D.  D. 

Tiie  contributions  to  the  treasury  from  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Society  furnish  evidence  of  the  interest 
New  England  has  felt  in  the  work  of  home  missions. 
A  record  of  these  contributions  will  be  found  in 
the  appendix,  marked  "  A." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

NEW    ENGLAND    BAPTISTS    AND     FOREIGN    MISSIONS. 

INTEREST  in  foreign  missions  on  the  part  of  the 
Baptists  of  New  England  was  first  awakened  by 
tlie  work  which  Carey  and  his  associates  began  in 
India.  Carey  corresponded  with  some  of  his  Ameri- 
can brethren,  and  his  letters  were  published  in  the 
"  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine."  There 
were  those  in  this  country  who  desired  to  engage  in 
the  foreign  work,  but  Carey,  writing  July  30,  1807, 
said  :  "  It  has  always  been  my  opinion  that  all  in 
America,  whose  hearts  the  Lord  stirs  up  to  this  work, 
should  either  go  to  the  Indians  or  the  back  part  of 
their  own  country,  or  to  the  neighboring  islands, 
Cuba,  St.  Domingo,  etc.  I  hope  these  fields  will  be 
soon  occupied  with  laboi-ers  in  the  harvest  of  the 
Lord."  Contributions  were  early  secured  for  tlie  trans- 
lation of  the  Scriptures  by  Dr.  Carey  and  his  asso- 
ciates ;  and  in  the  "Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary 
Magazine,"  for  March,  1812,  there  is  a  reference  to  the 
collections  for  this  purpose  made  in  some  of  the 
churches.  The  collection  at  Dr.  Baldwin's  church,  in 
Boston,  amounted  to  one  hundred  and  forty-five  dol- 
lars, and  that  of  "  Baptist  Friends,"  in  Middleboro, 
to  seventy  (Jollnrs. 
150 


FOREIGN   MISSIONS.  151 

When  Judson  and  his  associates  announced  their 
purpose  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  heathen,  the  hearts 
of  the  members  of  the  New  England  Baptist  churches 
were  deeply  moved.  The  "  Massachusetts  Baptist 
Missionary  Magazine,"  for  March,  1812,  refers  to  the 
ordination  of  Messrs.  Newell,  Judson,  Nott,  Hall,  and 
Rice  at  the  Tabernacle  in  Salem,  February  6 ;  and  then 
follows  the  note  :  "  Messrs.  Newell  and  Judson,  with 
their  wives,  sailed  from  Salem,  in  the  brig  '  Caravan,' 
Captain  Heard,  on  Wednesday,  the  19th  inst.  [Feb- 
ruary], amidst  the  prayers  and  benedictions  of  multi- 
tudes, whose  hearts  go  with  them,  and  who  will  not 
cease  to  remember  them  at  the  throne  of  grace." 

But  why  should  not  American  Baptists^  as  well  as 
Congregationalists  be  engaged  in  this  work?  was  a 
question  often  asked.  There  were  those  who  had 
strong  convictions  concerning  this  matter;  and  so 
"  The  Salem  Bible  Translation  and  Foreign  Mission 
Society"  was  organized  in  January,  1812,  ''to  raise 
money  to  aid  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the 
Eastern  languages  at  present  going  on  at  Serampore 
under  the  superintendence  of  Dr.  William  Carey  ;  or 
if  deemed  advisable  at  any  time  to  assist  in  sending 
a  missionary  or  missionaries  from  this  country  to 
India." 

At  length.  Dr.  Baldwin,  of  Boston,  received  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Judson,  dated  Calcutta,  August  31,  1812, 
announcing  his  change  of  views  concerning  baptism 
and    inclosino;;  a   letter,   dated   August   27,    1812,  in 


152    HISTORY    OF   BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

which  Mr.  Judson  had  requested  baptism  for  himself 
and  his  wife  at  the  hands  of  the  Serarapore  mission- 
aries. This  of  itself  was  a  trumpet  call  to  American 
Baptists  to  engage  in  foreign  mission  work.  But  it 
appears  that  Mr.  Judson,  in  an  interview  with  Dr. 
Bolles,  of  Salem,  just  before  his  departure  for  Calcutta, 
suggested  the  formation  of  a  society  among  the  Bap- 
tists in  America  for  the  support  of  foreign  missions. 
He  now  reminded  Dr.  Bolles  of  that  interview.  The 
dissolution  of  his  connection  with  the  American 
Board  was  inevitable.  Moreover,  Carey  and  his  as- 
sociates could  not  undertake  his  support,  and  so  he 
turned  to  those  whom  he  could  now  call  his  Baptist 
brethren  in  the  United  States,  and  suggested  that  if 
they  should  organize  a  society  for  the  support  of  a 
mission  in  the  East  he  was  ready  to  enter  upon  the 
work  as  their  missionary.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson 
were  baptized  at  Calcutta,  September  6,  1812,  by 
Rev.  William  Ward,  who  also  baptized  Mr.  Rice, 
November  1,  following.  The  Massachusetts  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  met  in  Boston,  May  26,  1813; 
and  the  trustees  in  their  report  said  that  the  baptism 
of  Judson  and  Rice  might  justly  be  considered  as  a  call 
*'  upon  us  to  extend  our  views  and  missionary  eflForts 
to  that  quarter  of  the  globe  "  ;  adding,  "  societies  have 
been  formed  and  are  now  forming  among  our  brethren 
in  different  places  for  this  purpose."  The  first  of 
these  societies  was  "  The  Baptist  Society  for  Propa- 
gating the  Gospel  in  India  and  other  Foreign  Parts," 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  153 

which  had  its  origin  in  a  meeting  held  at  the  house 
of  Dr.  Baldwin,  in  Boston,  on  the  receipt  of  Mr.  Jud- 
sou's  letter.  The  hand  of  Providence  was  manifest, 
and  in  the  constitution  of  the  society  provision  was 
made  for  co-operation  with  other  societies  in  forming 
a  General  Committee  for  the  prosecution  of  foreign 
mission  work.  A  similar  society  was  organized  in 
Ehode  Island.  The  Connecticut  Society's  Auxiliary 
to  the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  was  organ- 
ized in  Hartford,  Conn.,  August  31,  1814. 

The  Boston  Society  at  once  assured  Mr.  Judson 
that  if  his  connection  with  the  American  Board  was 
dissolved,  his  support  would  not  fail.  ■  By  request  of 
the  society,  K,ev.  Daniel  Sharp  wrote  to  the  directors 
of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  England  propos- 
ing that  Mr.  Judson  should  become  a  missionary  of 
that  society,  the  Baptist  churches  in  the  United  States 
guaranteeing  his  support.  The  directors  replied  that 
in  their  opinion  it  would  be  better  to  organize  in  the 
United  States  a  society  for  foreign  mission  work. 
The  arrival  of  Mr.  Rice  hastened  such  a  movement. 
He  was  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  Boston  Society 
in  February,  1814,  at  which  time  there  were  also 
present  delegates  from  the  Salem  and  Haverhill  So- 
cieties. Arrangements  were  made  for  the  preparation 
of  an  address  to  the  Baptists  of  the  United  States,  aud 
Mr.  Rice  was  requested  to  travel  in  the  Middle  and 
Southern  States,  and  secure  the  organization  of  socie- 
ties to  co-operate  with  those  in  New  England.     Such 


154    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

societies  were  organized,  and  from  these,  delegates 
were  at  length  summoned  to  meet  in  Philadelphia, 
May  18,  1814,  "to  organize  a  plan  for  eliciting,  com- 
bining, and  directing  the  energies  of  the  wliole  denom- 
ination in  one  sacred  eifort  for  sending  the  glad 
tidings  of  salvation  to  the  heathen  and  to  nations 
destitute  of  pure  gospel  light."  Twenty-six  clergy- 
men and  seven  laymen,  from  eleven  States  and  the 
District  of  Columbia,  met  at  the  appointed  time  and 
organized  "  The  General  Missionary  Convention  of 
the  Baptist  Denomination  in  the  United  States  of 
America  for  Foreign  Missions." 

The  second  article  of  the  constitution  provided  that 
the  Convention  should  be  "  a  Triennial  Convention  "; 
and  this  became  the  popular  designation  of  the  society. 
The  constitution  also  provided  that  for  the  transaction 
of  its  business  during  the  recess  of  the  Convention, 
there  should  be  a  Board  of  twenty-one  Commissioners, 
known  as  the  "  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  for 
the  United  States."  Such  a  Board  was  elected,  of 
which  Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin,  D.  D.,  of  Massachusetts, 
was  made  president ;  Rev.  Wm.  Stoughton,  D.  D.,  of 
Philadelphia,  corresponding  secretary ;  and  John 
Cauldwell,  of  New  York,  treasurer.  Its  first  work 
was  to  appoint  Mr.  Judson  as  its  missionary,  and  to 
provide  for  his  support  and  the  support  of  his  family. 
Rev.  Luther  Rice  was  also  appointed  a  missionary, 
but  he  was  directed  to  remain  in  the  United  States 
for  the  present  "  to  assist  in  originating  societies  or 


FOEEIGN   MISSIONS.  155 

institutions  for  carrying  the  missionary  design  into 
execution." 

As  at  first  organized  tlie  Convention  was  designed 
only  for  tiie  support  of  foreign  missions,  but  the  con- 
stitution was  modified  subsequently  in  several  partic- 
ulars so  as  to  include  home  missions,  and  the  training 
of  young  men  for  the  gospel  ministry.  The  establish- 
ment of  Columbian  College,  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
was  the  work  of  the  Convention.  But  at  the  fourth 
triennial  meeting,  held  in  New  York,  in  April  and 
May,  1826,  all  connection  with  Columbian  College 
that  included  responsibility  was  dissolved,  the  seat  of 
the  Convention's  operations  was  transferred  to  Boston, 
and  its  executive  control  was  intrusted  to  a  Board 
resident  in  New  England.  "  The  most  important  act 
of  the  late  Convention,"  says  an  official  publication 
of  that  year,  "  was  the  revision  of  the  constitution, 
by  which  its  exertions  were  limited  exclusively  to 
missionary  operations.  It  is  now  a  simple  body  with 
one  undivided  object,  and  that  object  is  the  promulga- 
tion of  the  gospel  among  the  heathen." 

Added  interest  in  the  missionary  operations  of  the 
Convention  had  been  awakened  by  the  return  of  Mrs. 
Judson  to  this  country,  in  1822,  on  account  of  her 
health.  She  arrived  September  25,  and  remained 
until  June  22,  1823.  Dr.  Wayland  said  of  her  that 
he  had  never  met  a  more  remarkable  woman,  and  the 
impression  she  made  upon  the  Christians  she  met  was 
most  profound.     On  her  return  to  Burma  she  was 


156    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

accompanied  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade.  Tlien  followed 
the  terrible  experiences  at  Ava  and  Oung-pen-la, 
where  for  twenty-one  long,  weary  months,  Mr.  Judson 
suffered  untold  horrors  in  a  loathsome  confinement, 
followed  from  prison  to  prison  by  his  heroic  wife, 
busy  in  the  endeavor  to  minister  to  his  wants  and 
seeking  in  all  possible  ways  to  secure  his  release. 
The  release  came  at  length  by  the  advance  of  the 
British  troops,  but  Mrs.  Judson  did  not  long  survive 
the  terrible  strain  to  which  she  had  been  subjected, 
and  she  was  buried  at  Amherst.  Mrs.  Judson's  story 
of  those  days  at  Ava  and  Oung-pen-la,  never  to  be 
forgotten,  had  thrilled  the  hearts  of  the  friends  of 
missions  everywhere,  and  nowhere  more  than  in  her 
own  loved  New  England.  There  was  not  a  Baptist 
home  in  which  her  vivid  recital  was  not  read,  and 
many  a  heart  was  stirred  with  a  desire  to  engage  in  a 
service  where  even  such  sufferings  were  possible  ;  and 
now  the  tidings  of  her  death  profoundly  affected 
hearts  that  had  already  been  moved  by  her  own 
womanly  words. 

Meanwhile,  George  Dana  Boardman,  who  was  born 
in  Livermore,  Maine,  February  8,  1801,  and  was 
graduated  at  Waterville  College,  in  1822,  had  heard 
the  cry  that  went  up  when  Colman  died  in  Arracan, 
"  Who  will  go  to  take  his  place  ? "  and  he  had  an- 
swered, "  I  will  go."  He  reached  Amherst  with  Mrs. 
Boardman,  after  Mrs.  Judson's  death,  and  helped 
place  by  her  mother's  side,  under  the  hopia  tree,  the 


rOREIGN   MISSIONS.  157 

little  Maria  who  had  just  breatlied  her  last.  At 
Moiilraein  he  was  joined  by  Judson  and  Wade ;  and 
afterward  at  Tavoy,  among  whose  hills  he  witnessed 
the  baptism  of  a  goodly  number  of  converts,  he  fin- 
ished his  labors  and  M'ent  to  his  reward.  And  so  the 
call  went  back  to  the  New  England  hills,  "  Who  will 
take  Boardman's  place  ?  " 

When  the  Board  was  removed  from  Philadelphia 
to  Boston,  Rev.  Dr.  Stonghton  resigned  the  office  of 
corresponding  secretary,  which  he  had  discharged 
with  great  zeal  and  ability  since  1814,  and  Rev. 
Lucius  Bolles,  D.  D.,  of  Salem,  Mass.,  was  made  his 
successor.  During  the  first  ten  years  of  its  history, 
the  Triennial  Convention  received  contributions  ao-o-re- 
gating  seventy-three  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty- 
three  dollars.  Urgent  appeals  were  now  made  for  an 
increase  of  contributions  demanded  by  the  progress 
of  the  work.  In  1838,  Rev.  Howard  Malcom,  who 
by  appointment  of  the  Convention  had  visited  its 
missions  in  Asia,  was  made  financial  secretary  of  the 
Board,  w^hile  Rev.  Solomon  Peck  was  elected  cor- 
responding secretaiy  for  the  Foreign  Department, 
and  Dr.  Bolles  was  assigned  to  the  Home  Depart- 
ment;  but  in  1842,  on  account  of  ill  health.  Dr. 
Bolles  was  obliged  to  resign,  and  after  a  lingering  ill- 
ness he  died  in  Boston,  January  5,  1844,  after  faith- 
fully serving  the  Board  sev^en  years. 

The  Board  at  this  time  was  burdened  with  a 
troublesome  debt.     The   slavery  question  also,   was 


158    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

becoming  a  perplexing  one.  A  crisis  in  respect  to 
this  was  reached  when  the  Alabama  Baptist  Con- 
vention sent  to  the  Board  a  series  of  resokitions  ex- 
pressive of  the  sentiments  of  the  Baptists  of  thac 
State,  and  demanding  an  ''  explicit  avowal  that  slave- 
holders are  eligible  and  entitled  equally  with  non- 
slaveholders  "  to  appointments  by  the  Board  eitlier  as 
agents  or  as  missionaries.  The  Board  replied  that  all 
members  of  the  Convention,  whetlier  slaveholders  or 
not,  were  unquestionably  entitled  to  all  the  privileges 
which  the  constitution  granted  or  permitted  ;  but  that 
the  constitution  guaranteed  to  no  one  the  right  to  be 
appointed  to  any  office,  agency,  or  mission ;  that  the 
Board  had  the  appointing  power,  and  its  members 
were  accountable  only  to  the  Convention  for  the 
proper  discharge  of  their  duties.  It  was  added,  how- 
ever, that  with  reference  to  the  question  implied  in 
the  resolutions  addressed  to  the  Board,  its  members 
were  agreed  that  "  if  any  one  should  offi?r  himself  as  a 
missionary  having  slaves,  and  should  insist  on  retain- 
ing them  as  his  property,  they  could  not  appoint  him." 
As  soon  as  this  answer  was  made  known,  the  churches 
in  the  Southern  States  withdrew  from  the  Convention 
and  organized  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention. 

By  request  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  the  president 
of  the  General  Convention  called  an  extra  session  of 
that  body  in  New  York,  on  the  third  Wednesday  in 
November,  1845.  A  new  constitution  was  adopted, 
and  arransements  were  made  for  securing  from  the 


FOKEIGN   MISSIONS.  159 

State  of  Pennsylvania  a  modification  of  the  original 
charter;  also  an  arlditional  charter  from  the  State  of 
Massachusetts.  These  measures  having  been  per- 
fected, the  reorganized  Convention,  under  the  name 
of  "  The  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union," 
entered  upon  its  work  in  May,  1846.  One  of  the 
missionaries  of  the  Convention,  Rev.  J.  L.  Shuck,  of 
China,  entered  the  service  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention.  All  the  rest  remained  in  the  service  of 
the  Union.  The  debt  of  forty  thousand  dollars, 
which  had  been  increased  in  recent  years,  was  pro- 
vided for  by  a  subscription  which  was  completed 
before  the  reorganization  was  consummated  ;  and  free 
from  all  disturbing  influences,  and  with  the  loyal 
support  of  a  growing  constituency,  the  Missionary 
Union  took  up  the  great  work  to  which  it  had  been 
called.  Unquestionably  for  the  peace  of  the  churches 
the  separation  had  come  none  too  soon.  That  it  had 
been  brought  about  amicably  and  honorably  was  a 
noble  tribute  to  the  Christian  character  of  those  who 
were  prominent  in  the  movement. 

It  was  while  these  changes  were  in  progress  that 
Dr.  Judson  returned  to  the  United  States.  He  had 
married  Mrs,  Sarah  H.  Boardman,  widow  of  George 
Dana  Boardman,  April  10,  1834,  and  it  was  on 
account  of  her  health  that  he  had  turned  his  face 
homeward.  Mrs.  Judson  died  near  St.  Helena,  Sep- 
tember 1,  1845,  and  there  she  was  buried.  Dr. 
Judson  and  his  three  eldest  children  continued  their 


160    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IX    NEW    ENGLAND. 

sorrowful  journey  and  reached  Boston  October  15. 
The  great  loss  he  had  sustained  in  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Judson  gave  a  peculiar  tenderness  to  the  welcome  he 
received  after  an  absence  of  thirty-three  years.  Yet  all 
felt  that  that  welcome  should  at  once  have  public  ex- 
pression, and  on  the  evening  after  his  arrival  a  meeting 
was  held  in  Boston,  at  which  Dr.  Sharp,  president  of 
the  Board,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  audience,  spoke 
fitting  words  of  Christian  greeting.  During  his  stay 
in  this  country.  Dr.  Judson  visited  many  of  the 
churches  in  New  England,  and  as  well  some  in  the 
South  connected  with  the  new  Convention,  and  also 
the  colleges  at  Providence  and  Waterville.  Every- 
where his  presence  awakened  the  profoundest  sym- 
pathy. Members  of  all  denominations,  and  men  of 
all  classes  of  society,  came  together  in  testimony  of 
their  appreciation  of  one  who  had  done  and  suffered 
so  much  for  his  fellow-men.  Dr.  Judson  was  married 
to  Miss  Emily  Chubbuck  (Fanny  Forester)  June  2, 
1846,  and  sailed  for  Burma,  July  11th,  following. 
Only  a  few  years  of  service  remained  to  him,  how- 
ever, and  he  died  at  sea,  April  12,  1850,  aged  sixty- 
two.  His  exalted  character,  his  untiring  and  self- 
denying  devotion  to  his  work,  and  his  heroic  endur- 
ance of  untold  sufferings,  will  ever  give  him  a  con- 
spicuous place  in  missionary  annals. 

But  from  time  to  time  other  workers  had  been 
added  to  the  missionary  force  of  the  Union,  and  there 
were  now  missions  in  Burma,  India,  Siam,  Assam, 


FOREIGN    MISSIONS.  161 

China,  Western  Africa,  and  in  France,  Germany, 
Denmark,  and  Greece.  But  the  causes  that  had  led 
the  Baptists  of  the  South  to  withdraw  from  co-opera- 
tion in  mission  work  with  their  brethren  in  the 
North,  affected  more  and  more  strongly  the  body 
politic,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1860,  with  the  election 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  as  President  of  the  United 
States,  secession  quickly  came  on  the  part  of  the  South, 
and  with  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter,  April  14,  1861, 
the  Civil  War  opened.  Notwithstanding  the  severity 
and  the  prolongation  of  the  struggle,  the  work  of  the 
Missionary  Union  did  not  slacken.  The  great  battles 
of  the  Wilderness  and  Spottsylvania  occurred  May 
14-18,  1864,  and  the  jubilee  of  the  Missionary 
Union  was  celebrated  at  Philadelphia,  May  24-26th, 
following.  At  that  meeting  there  were  references  to 
the  conflict  then  waarino;,  but  the  time  for  the  most 
part  was  given  to  a  review  of  fifty  years  of  mission- 
ary service  now  concluded.  Not  one  of  the  orig- 
inators of  the  Triennial  Convention  was  then  living. 
All  had  passed  on  to  their  rest  and  reward.  But 
their  names  were  recalled,  and  the  portraits  of  thirteen 
adorned  the  walls  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  where 
the  meetings  were  held.  The  annual  sermon,  en- 
titled, "  The  Missionary  Resources  of  the  Kingdom 
of  Christ,"  was  preached  by  Rev.  S.  L.  Caldwell, 
D.  D.,  of  Providence,  R.  I.  Of  the  various  papers 
read,  especially  noteworthy  was  that  by  Rev.  Baron 
Stow,  D,  D.,  of  Boston,  on  "  The  Early  History  of 


162   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

our  Missionaiy  Organization,  with  Biographical 
Sketches  of  its  Founders."  The  Executive  Com- 
mittee called  attention  to  the  pressing  wants  of  the 
Union.  The  number  of  missionaries,  it  was  stated, 
was  less  than  twenty  years  previous.  During  the 
past  ten  years  the  effective  force  on  the  field  had  been 
reduced  one-third.  Instead  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four  missionaries,  including  missionaries' 
wives,  there  were  less  than  eighty.  The  memories  of 
the  past  stirred  the  hearts  of  the  people.  It  was  a 
fitting  time  for  enlarged  operations,  and  the  com- 
mittee suggested  that  fifty  thousand  dollars  should  be 
raised  as  a  jubilee  fund  in  addition  to  the  ordinary 
contributions.  The  Union  accepted  this  suggestion. 
More  than  thirty  thousand  dollars  was  contributed 
for  this  purpose  during  the  jubilee  session,  and  this 
stim  was  subsequently  increased  to  fifty-three  thou- 
sand eighty-five  dollars  and  one  cent.  The  regular 
contributions  of  that  year  also  were  seventeen  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  seventy  dollars  and  thirty-two 
cents  more  than  in  the  preceding  year,  and  amounted 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty-tiiree  thousand  one  hundred 
and  ninety-five  dollars  and  fifty-seven  cents.  Only 
once  since  1857  had  the  receipts  of  the  Union  reached 
the  sum  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  In  the 
history  of  the  Missionary  Union  a  new  era  in  giving 
had  opened. 

Meanwhile  the  work  abroad  had  greatly  prospered. 
Dr.  Judson    reached    Rangoon  July  13,   1813,  and 


FOREIGN   MISSIONS.  163 

baptized  his  first  convert  June  27,  1819.  In  1830 
there  were  about  three  hundred  members  in  all  the 
churches  connected  with  our  missions.  In  1840,  the 
membership  had  risen  to  about  three  or  four  thou- 
sand. In  1850,  it  was  eleven  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  fifty-eight ;  in  1860,  twenty-five  thousand  four 
hundred  and  eight,  and  when  the  Jubilee  occurred, 
it  was  about  thirty-five  thousand. 

The  Telugu  Mission,  at  the  Jubilee  in  1864, 
received  a  much-needed  reinforcement.  At  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Union  in  Providence,  in  1862, 
the  question,  "  Shall  the  Telugu  Mission  be  Aban- 
doned?" came  up  for  the  third  time.  A  resolution 
was  presented  recommending  the  abandonment  of  the 
mission ;  but  Dr.  Warren,  corresponding  secretary, 
urged  that  the  question  should  be  deferred  until  an 
opportunity  could  be  had  for  consultation  with  Dr. 
Jewett,  of  the  Telugu  Mission,  who  was  then  on  his 
way  home.  Dr.  Jewett,  on  his  arrivalj  entered  an 
earnest  protest  against  the  abandonment  of  the 
mission.  If  the  Union  declined  to  aid  him,  he  said, 
he  would  go  back  alone  and  live  and  die,  if  need  be, 
among  the  Telugus.  It  was  at  length  decided  that 
he  should  return  if  his  health  was  restored,  and  that 
the  mission  should  be  reinforced.  Rev.  John  E. 
Clough,  in  August,  1864,  received  an  appointment  to 
this  mission,  and  November  30th,  following,  Avitli  his 
wife  and  Dr.  Jewett,  he  sailed  from  Boston,  and 
reached  Nellore.  India,  April  22,  1865.      In  the  fol- 


164   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

lowing  year  Mr.  Clough  reraoved  to  Ongole,  where 
was  commenced  that  wonderful  work  which  lias  ma<le 
the  story  of  the  Telugu  Mission  read  like  an  extract 
from  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  Thousands  in  the 
following  years  were  added  to  the  church  at  Ongole, 
two  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-two  being 
received  by  baptism  in  one  day,  July  3,  1878.  In 
1870,  the  churches  connected  with  the  Missionary 
Union,  reported  forty-six  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
sixty-four  members.  In  1880,  the  membership  had 
increased  to  eighty-three  thousand  three  hundred  and 
eight;  in  1890,  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight 
thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-three ;  and  in 
1893,  to  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  twenty-nine,  of  which  eighty-two  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  seventy-four  were  connected 
with  tlie  churches  in  nominally  Christian  lands,  and 
eighty-seven  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty-five 
with  churches  in  heathen  lands,  forty-eight  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  fifteen  being  Telugus. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Union  at  Providence,  E..  I., 
in  May,  1877,  Secretary  Murdock  read  a  paper 
entitled :  ''  Shall  We  Reduce"  the  Scale  of  Our  Mis- 
sions? "  In  it  reference  was  made  to  the  enlargement 
of  the  work  proposed  at  the  jubilee  meeting  in  1864. 
At  that  time  a  fund  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  was 
secured  to  begin  this  work.  In  two  years  twenty- 
three  new  missionaries  had  been  put  into  the  field, 
and  there  was  no  debt.     The  close  of  the  third  year, 


FOREIGN   MISSIONS.  165 

however,  showed  a  large  deficit,  but  the  Executive 
Committee  continued  the  work  of  reinforcing  the 
missions  until,  in  1877,  one  hundred  and  thirty-four 
new  missionaries  had  been  sent  out.  Yet  for  eleven 
years  there  had  been  a  deficit  of  from  five  hundred 
dollars  to  fifty- three  thousand  dollars,  or  an  average 
debt  of  twenty-four  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  dollars  and  sixteen  cents  for  the  whole  period 
from  April,  1867,  to  April,  1877 ;  and  the  committee 
was  not  prepared  to  go  farther  in  the  line  of  advance 
without  some  new  guaranty  of  support.  The  paper 
read  by  Dr.  Murdock  was  referred  to  a  special 
committee.  In  its  report  the  committee  said,  "  That 
besides  the  obligation  placed  upon  American  Baptists 
by  the  last  command  of  their  ascending  Lord,  the 
signal  providences  by  which  their  hands  were  first  put 
to  the  foreign  missionary  work  in  Asia  and  in  Europe 
had  left  them  no  option  but  to  prosecute  it  according 
to  the  full  measure  of  their  ability  and  the  necessities 
of  the  work."  It  was  thought  desirable  that  the 
seventeen  thousand  dollars  of  debt  incurred  during 
the  preceding  year  should  be  paid.  This  amount  was 
soon  secured,  and  so  much  more  that  only  eleven 
thousand  dollai's  were  lacking  to  clear  off  the  entire 
indebtedness  of  the  Union,  which  was  forty-seven 
thousand  dollars.  The  receipts  of  the  Union,  which 
were  two  hundred  and  thirty-eight  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  seventy-seven  dollars  and  fifteen  cents 
in  1877,  were  increased  to  two  hundred  and  seventy- 


166    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

eight  thousand  seven  hundred  and  twenty-three  dol- 
lars and  fourteen  cents  in  1878.  Only  once  since 
have  they  been  less  than  that  amount,  and  that  was 
in  1879.  In  1880,  the  receipts  were  three  hundred 
and  fourteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty  dol- 
lars and  eighty-eight  cents ;  in  1887,  they  were  four 
hundred  and  six  thousand  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  dollars  and  thirty  cents ;  and  since  that  time 
they  have  been  as  follows :  In  1888,  four  hundred 
and  eleven  thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty-five 
dollars  and  thirty-nine  cents;  in  1889,  four  hundred 
and  fourteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  ninety-five 
dollars  and  eighty-six  cents;  in  1890,  five  hundred 
and  fifty-nine  thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents;  in  1891,  four 
hundred  and  ninety-two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
seventy-four  dollars  and  ninety-one  cents;  in  1892, 
five  hundred  and  eighty-nine  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  seventy-two  dollars  and  ninety-three  cents ;  and 
in  1893,  eight  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  one  dollars  and  ninety-five  cents. 
Nor  do  these  last  figures  represent  the  entire  receipts 
of  1893,  as  will  appear  later. 

The  table  found  in  appendix,  marked  "  B,"  gives 
the  amount  contributed  to  foreign  mission  work  by 
the  Baptists  of  New  England  from  the  beginning  of 
our  foreign  missionary  movement.  Bequests  are  not 
included. 

At  the  anniversary  of  the  Union  held  in  Cincinnati 


FOREIGN    MISSIONS.  167 

in  1891,  it  Avas  decided  that  the  centennial  o  "  the 
foreign  missionary  enterprise  begun  at  Kettering, 
Eng.,  October  2,  1792,  should  be  celebrated  during 
the  fiscal  year  1892-3,  and  that  an  attempt  should  be 
made  to  raise  a  Centenary  Fund  aggregating  at  least 
one  million  dollars.  A  permanent  Centennial  Com- 
mittee was  appointed  with  Rev.  H.  C.  Mabie,  D.  D., 
home  secretary  of  the  Union,  as  chairman,  and 
Rev.  O.  O.  Fletcher,  D.  D.,  as  field  secretary.  At 
the  meeting  of  the  Union  in  Philadelphia,  in  1892, 
this  committee,  in  a  report,  outlined  its  plan  of 
operations.  Rev.  J.  N.  Murdock,  D.  D.,  Honorary 
Secretary,  read  a  paper  entitled,  "  A  Century  of  Mis- 
sions." Special  missionary  conferences  in  various 
sections  of  the  country  were  held.  In  Associations 
and  State  Conventions  the  centenary  of  missions  re- 
ceived especial  attention.  District  secretaries  and 
Associational  secretaries  attended  to  the  work  in  the 
churches.  In  this  way  a  great  historic  event  was 
worthily  celebrated,  offerings  were  made,  and  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Union  at  Denver,  Colorado,  in  May, 
1893,  the  Centennial  Committee  reported  that  the 
receipts  of  the  year  from  all  sources  had  been  one 
million  ten  thousand  three  hundred  and  forty-one 
dollars  and  forty-six  cents.  "  This  money,"  said  the 
committee,  "  has  been  given  in  the  main,  not  by  a 
few  individuals,  nor  through  bequests  of  the  dving, 
but  by  the  rank  and  file  of  the  churches  through  the 
ordinary  channels  of  church  collections.     There  has 


168    HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS   IN    NEW   ENGLAND. 

been  a  clear  gaiu,  from  these  sources  alone,  of  over 
three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars  durint;  the 
year." 

The  Union  suffered  a  o^reat  loss  in  the  burning^  of 
Tremont  Temple,  Boston,  March  19,  1893.  The 
offices  of  the  Union  were  on  the  upper  floor  of  the 
building,  and  nearly  all  the  contents  of  the  rooms, 
including  the  Union's  valuable  library  and  museum, 
with  portraits  and  other  objects  of  great  interest  and 
value,  were  destroyed.  The  insurance  was  sufficient 
to  restore  such  articles  as  could  be  replaced,  but  many 
of  the  articles  could  not  be  duplicated.  All  the 
securities,  accounts,  records,  and  correspondence  of 
the  Union  were  saved,  as  the  fire-proof  vaults  of  the 
Union  were  uninjured. 

From  the  beginning  the  Union  has  been  exceed- 
ingly fortunate  in  its  executive  officers.  Rev.  Wm. 
Stoughton,  D.  D.,  was  corresponding  secretary,  from 
1814  to  1826,  when  the  headquarters  of  the  Society 
were  transferred  to  Boston.  Rev.  Lucius  Bolles, 
D.  D.,  was  made  his  successor,  and  served  from  1826 
to  1843.  Rev.  Solomon  Peck,  D.  D.,  was  elected 
corresponding  secretary  in  1838,  in  order  that  Dr. 
Bolles  might  have  assistance,  and  remained  in  the 
service  of  the  Union  until  1856.  The  services  of 
Rev.  R.  E.  Pattison,  D.  D.,  were  secured  from  1841 
to  1845.  Rev.  Edward  Bright,  D.  D.,  was  appointed 
corresponding  secretary  in  1846,  and  served  until 
1855.     Rev.  J.  G.  Warren,  D.  D.,  then  received  an 


FOREIGN    MISSIONS.  169 

appointment,  and  continued  in  the  service  of  the 
Union  until  1872.  Eev.  J.  N.  Murdock,  D.  D., 
who  had  been  assistant  corresponding  secretary  since 
1863,  was  elected  corresponding  secretary  m  18G6, 
and  served  the  Union  with  distinguished  ability  until 
his  resignation  in  1891,  when  he  was  made  honorary 
secretary  for  life.  He  also  performed  the  duties  of 
corresponding  secretary  during  the  year  following 
his  resignation.  Rev.  H.  C.  Mabie,  D.  D.,  was 
elected  corresponding  secretary  in  1890,  and  was 
granted  leave  of  absence  to  visit  the  missions  of  the 
Union  in  Japan,  China,  Burma,  and  India.  In  1892, 
the  Board  elected  three  corresponding  secretaries : 
Rev.  H.  C.  Mabie,  D.D.,  Rev.  S.  W.  Duncan,  D.  D., 
and  Rev.  E.  F.  Merriam.  In  1893,  Rev.  H.  C. 
Mabie,  D.  D.,  was  elected  home  secretary ;  Rev. 
S.  W.  Duncan,  D.  D.,'  foreign  secretary ;  and  Rev. 
E.  F.  Merriam,  became  editorial  secretary.  For 
many  years  Rev.  W.  S.  McKenzie,  D.  D.,  has  been 
district  secretarv  of  the  Union  for  New  England. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  EDUCATIONAL  WOEK. 

BROWN  UNIVERSITY.— President  Manning, 
of  Brown  University,  died  July  24,  1791, 
greatly  lamented,  and  was  succeeded  in  1792  by  Rev. 
Jonathan  Maxey,  who  during  the  previous  year,  had 
received  a  temporary  appointment  as  professor  of 
divinity.  Mr.  Maxey  served  several  years  as  vice- 
president,  as  he  was  only  twenty-four  years  old  when 
he  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  college.  In  1797, 
he  received  his  appointment  as  president.  His  genius 
and  learning,  and  especially  his  brilliant  oratory,  at- 
tracted public  attention,  and  a  large  number  of  men, 
afterward  eminent  in  the  various  learned  professions, 
were  graduated  from  the  college  during  his  presidency. 
He  resigned  in  1802,  and  accepted  the  presidency  of 
Union  College.  In  1804,  he  was  elected  president 
of  the  College  of  South  Carolina. 

President  Maxey  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Asa 
Messer,  under  whose  wise  and  beneficent  administra- 
tion the  college  continued  to  prosper.  In  1821-22, 
an  additional  dormitory  was  erected  at  the  expense  of 
Mr.  Nicholas  Brown,  and  received  the  name  of  Hope 
College,  after  Mr.  Brown's  only  sister,  Mrs.  Hope  Ives. 
170 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      171 

Dr.  Messer  resigned  in  1826,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Francis  Wayland,  who  was  elected  December  13, 
1826,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  in  the 
following  February.  He  was  thirty-one  years  of  age, 
and  had  achieved  distinction  as  a  preacher,  especially 
by  his  sermon  on  "  The  Moral  Dignity  of  the  Modern 
Missionary  Enterprise."  At  once  all  departments  of 
the  college  were  quickened  into  new  life.  Large  ad- 
ditions were  made  to  the  philosophical  and  chemical 
apparatus ;  a  library  fund  of  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  was  secured ;  Manning  Hall,  in  1834,  and 
Rhode  Island  Hall,  in  1840,  were  erected;  the  presi- 
dent's house  was  removed  from  the  college  inclosure ; 
the  grounds  were  laid  out  and  planted  with  elms ;  and 
a  new  house  for  the  president  was  erected  on  the  cor- 
ner of  College  and  Prospect  Streets. 

Yet  Dr.  Wayland  was  not  satisfied  with  the  pro- 
gress that  had  been  made ;  and  despairing  of  im- 
provement along  existing  lines  he  resigned  in  1849. 
The  members  of  the  corporation  were  unwilling  to 
lose  his  services,  and  having  ascertained  his  views 
with  reference  to  the  future  of  the  university,  they 
adopted  them,  and  a  subscription  amounting  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  was  soon 
obtained  for  testing  what  was  known  as  the  "  New 
System."  The  main  features  of  this  system  were  : 
"  The  provision  of  such  new  courses  of  study  in 
science  as  the  practical  spirit  of  the  age  demanded  ; 
the  abandonment  of  a  fixed  term  of  four  vears  of 


172   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IX    NEW   ENGLAND. 

study  for  students,  and  in  place  of  it  the  pursuit  of 
any  selected  course  for  such  a  length  of  time  as  the 
student's  circumstances  required ;  the  privilege  of 
selecting  such  studies  as  under  the  guidance  of  his 
guardian  he  might  wish."  In  introducing  these 
changes  Dr.  Wayland  opened  a  way  along  which 
other  colleges  have  been  quick  to  follow.  The  num- 
ber of  students  was  greatly  increased,  and  a  new  im- 
pulse was  given  to  the  work  of  the  college. 

In  1855,  after  more  than  twenty-eight  years  of  un- 
wearied service,  Dr.  Wayland  resigned,  and  Rev. 
Barnas  Sears,  D.  D.,  who  after  a  twelve  years'  pro- 
fessorship at  Newton  Theological  Institution  had 
been  made  secretary  and  executive  agent  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Board  of  Education,  was  appointed  Dr. 
Wayland's  successor.  Under  his  administration,  the 
"  New  System "  introduced  by  his  predecessor  was 
somewhat  modified,  although  increased  facilities  for 
practical  education  were  still  offered.  A  new  building 
for  the  department  of  analytical  chemistry  was 
erected ;  a  debt  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  was 
extinguished ;  and  large  additions  were  made  to  the 
funds  of  the  college.  During  the  administration  of 
President  Sears  occurred  the  Civil  War.  Although 
a  large  number  of  the  students  entered  the  military 
servi'^e — nearly  three  hundred  of  the  non-graduates 
and  graduates  are  on  the  university  roll  of  honor — 
the  number  of  students  in  the  college  was  not  greatly 
lessened.     A  mural  tablet  iu  the  chapel,  procured  by 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      173 

the  under-graduates  of  the  university,  appropriately 
commemorates  their  brothers  who  laid  down  their 
lives  for  their  country  in  the  sacred  cause  of  the 
Union. 

President  Sears  resigned  in  1867,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded, in  1868,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Alexis  Caswell,  who 
had  long  been  connected  with  the  college  as  a  pro- 
fessor. He  was  then  on  the  verge  of  three-score 
years  and  ten,  but  he  entered  upon  his  new  responsi- 
bilities well  equipped  for  the  task  of  uniting  more 
closely  the  friends  of  the  college  and  of  continuing^it 
in  its  career  of  growing  prosperity. 

Dr.  Caswell  retired  in  1872,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Ezekiel  G.  Robinson,  D.  D.,  whose  presidency 
of  seventeen  years  marks  an  important  era  in  the 
history  of  the  college.  During  that  time  the  John 
Carter  Brown  Library  Building  was  erected  ;  also 
the  Slater  Dormitory  and  Sayles  Memorial  Hall. 
University  Hall  was  renovated  throughout.  The 
Metcalf  estate,  and  a  lot  on  George  Street,  were 
added  to  the  college  property.  The  funds  of  the 
university,  which  in  1872  were  five  hundred  and 
fifty-two  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirty  dollars 
amounted,  in  1888,  to  nine  hundred  and  sixty  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  eleven  dollars,  not  including 
certain  gifts  which  raised  the  total  to  one  million 
eighteeen  thousand  dollars. 

President  Robinson's  successor.  Rev.  E.  Benj. 
Andrews,  D.  D.,  is  a  son  of  the  university,  as  were 


174   HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

his  three  immediate  predecessors,  and  under  his  direc- 
tion tlie  various  departments  have  been  greatly  en- 
larged and  strengthened,  and  its  corps  of  instructors 
largely  increased.  Wilson  Hall,  the  new  gymnasium, 
and  the  Ladd  Observatory,  with  their  equipments, 
have  been  added  to  the  other  fine  structures  belonging 
to  the  university.  In  1891,  the  trustees  voted  to 
admit  women  to  college  examinations.  In  1892,  a 
woman's  college  was  opened,  technically  and  legally 
under  the  university  only  so  far  as  its  examinations 
are  concerned,  yet  in  effect  a  department  of  the  uni- 
versity. The  whole  number  of  students  connected 
with  the  university  for  the  year  1893-4  is  the  largest 
in  its  history,  viz.,  six  hundred  and  sixty-seven.  Of 
these,  seventy-five  are  young  women. 

Colby  University. — Early  in  the  century  the 
Baptists  in  the  District  of  Maine  manifested  a  deep 
interest  in  educational  matters.  Many  of  the  min- 
isters, though  familiar  with  their  Bibles,  had  not  been 
trained  in  the  schools.  For  the  most  part,  however, 
they  were  conscit)us  of  their  poor  equipment  for  their 
work.  In  a  circular  letter  prepared  in  1807,  for  the 
Bowdoinham  Association,  Rev.  Sylvanus  Boardman 
characterized  the  Baptist  ministry  of  the  district  as  it 
very  largely  was  at  that  time,  when  in  a  plea  for  the 
support  of  those  whom  the  churches  had  called  to 
preach,  he  spoke  of  their  ^'want  of  education,  not  un- 
derstanding their  mother  tongue,  compelled  to  devote 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      175 

their  time  to  study,  even  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the 
English  language  sufficient  to  qualify  them  to  acquire 
knowledge  in  logic,  mathematics,  or  philosophy." 

Three  years  later  a  plan  was  formed  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  an  institution  for  promoting  literary  and 
theological  knowledge,  and  a  committee  was  chosen 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Bowdoinham  Association,  in  1810, 
to  take  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  petitioning 
the  Geueral  Court  for  incorporation.  The  committee 
at  the  meetino-  of  the  Association  in  1811,  recom- 
mended  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  consider 
the  matter  more  fully  in  connection  with  a  committee 
from  the  Lincoln  Association.  Such  a  committee  was 
appointed,  and  the  churches  were  requested  to  obtain 
subscriptions  to  promote  the  undertaking.  Subse- 
quently committees  were  appointed  to  secure  an  act  of 
incorporation,  and  February  27,  1813,  a  charter, 
chiefly  through  the  influence  of  Rev.  Daniel  Merrill, 
of  Sedgwick,  was  granted  by  the  legislature  of  Massa- 
chusetts for  a  corporation  under  the  title  of  the 
"  President  and  Trustees  of  the  Maine  Literary  and 
Theological  Institution."  The  institution  was  finally 
located  at  Waterville,  and  in  February,  1818,  Rev. 
Jeremiah  Chaplin,  of  Dan  vers,  Mass.,  was  elected 
professor  of  theology,  and  Rev.  Irah  Chase,  of  West- 
ford,  Vt.,  was  elected  professor  of  languages.  Mr. 
Chase,  however,  did  not  accept  his  appointment,  but 
Mr.  Chaplin  removed  to  Waterville  in  June,  1818,  and 
entered    upon  his   work,  bringing  with  him  several 


176    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

theological  students  whom  he  had  instructed  at  his 
home  in  Danvers.     A  graduate  of  Brown  University, 
he  knew  the  value  of  a  collegiate  course  as  a  preparation 
for  theological  study,  and  he  was  not  long  in  coming 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  work  he  had   been  called 
upon  to  do  could  best  be  performed  by  giving  to  the 
institution   a   collegiate   character.     The  District  of 
Maine  having,  in  1820,  become  an  independent  State, 
collegiate  powers  were  obtained  from  the  legislature 
in  that  year,  and  February  5, 1821,  an  act  was  passed 
authorizinor  the  institution  to  assume  the  name  of 
Waterville  College.     Among  the  trustees,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  churches  and  among  the  ministers  in  the 
State,  there  were  those  who  deprecated  the  change. 
The   late  ex-President  Champlin  deemed  it  a  great 
mistake  at  that  early  stage  in  the  history  of  the  insti- 
tution.     "  Had  the  institution,"   he  said,   "  retained 
its  original  and  more  popular  form  till  the  affections 
of  the  denomination  had  crystalized  around  it,  and 
the  denomination  itself  had  withal  grown  so  as  to  de- 
mand a  college,  I  cannot  but  think  that  its  historv 
would  have  been  dilierent.     In  that  case,  the  numer- 
ous churches  which  liad  been  established  throughout 
the  State  would  have  been  strengthened  by  the  supply 
of  pastors  adapted   to   their  wants,  and  would  have 
been  ready,  when  at  length  it  became  a  college,  to 
rally  around  it  with  their  affections  and  aid."^ 

1  President  Champlin's  Historical  Discourse,   Fiftieth  Anni- 
versary of  Colby  University,  p.  17. 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      177 

But  the  decision  had  been  made,  and  now  upon  the 

trustees  was  imposed  the  duty  of  selecting  a  president. 
Rev.  Daniel  H.  Barnes,  of  New  York,  a  graduate  of 
Union  College,  and  a  distinguished  educator,  was 
elected  president  of  the  college  in  August,  1821.  As 
he  did  not  accept  the  appointment.  Dr.  Chaplin,  in 
May,  1822,  was  uuanimously  elected  to  that  office. 
At  the  first  commencement  .of  the  college,  September 
14,  1822,  George  Dana  Boardman,  who  subsequently 
engaged  in  missionary  service,  was  one  of  the  two 
graduates. 

Dr.  Chaplin  resigned  the  presidency  in  1832.  He 
had  not  accomplished  all  that  he  desired  or  all  that 
he  felt  he  was  able  to  accomplish.  But  he  builded 
better  than  he  knew.  At  a  time  of  special,  almost 
desperate  need,  in  the  early  history  of  the  institution, 
he  visited  Portland  with  the  hope  of  obtaining  help 
from  a  generous  friend  of  the  college.  This  time, 
however,  his  appeal  was  fruitless.  The  disappoint- 
ment was  well-nio;h  overwhelmino;.  He  knew  no 
other  person  to  whom  he  could  go,  and  deeply  de- 
pressed he  turned  to  leave  the  house.  As  he  went 
out  of  the  door,  the  thought  of  his  heart  leaped 
to  his  lips  :  "  God  bless  Waterville  College  ! "  The 
late  E.ev.  S.  B.  Swaim,  D.  D.,  then  doubtless  a 
student  in  Newton  Theological  Institution  (1830- 
1833),  was  in  Portland  supplying  the  pulpit  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  and  overheard  Dr.  Chaplin's 
agonizing  prayer  while  entering  the  house  which  the 

M 


178    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

president  was  leaving.  In  1864,  at  a  meeting  in  the 
Baptist  church  at  Newton  Centre,  Mass.,  on  the  day 
of  prayer  for  colleges.  Dr.  Swaim  was  present,  and 
referred  to  this  incident  as  susfirestive  of  lessons  in 
harmony  with  the  day.  Mr.  Gardner  Colby,  a 
wealthy  Boston  merchant,  who  was  present,  was  im- 
pressed with  the  story  and  its  application.  He  was 
a  native  of  Maine,  and  in  his  boyhood  his  mother, 
then  a  widow,  had  lived  in  Waterville,  and  Dr. 
Chaplin  had  befriended  her  in  her  struggle  to  support 
her  family.  As  a  Christian  merchant  he  was  in- 
terested in  Christian  education.  From  Waterville 
College  there  had  come  to  Newton  Theological  In- 
stitution many  promising  students  who  had  become 
able  and  successful  ministers  of  the  gospel.  When 
Dr.  Swaim  related  this  incident,  the  thought  was 
flashed  into  Mr.  Colby's  mind  that  he  might  do 
something  for  Waterville  College,  and  in  this  way 
confer  a  lasting  benefit  upon  many  a  young  man  as  poor 
as  he  himself  once  was.  That  night,  meditating  upon 
his  bed  as  he  was  wont  to  do,  he  at  length  said  to  his 
wife :  "  Suppose  I  give  fifty  thousand  dollars  to 
Waterville  College."  She  favored  the  suggestion, 
and  the  purpose  ere  long  was  formed.  While  in 
Waterville  attending  the  commencement  exercises  of 
the  college,  August  10,  1864,  Mr.  Colby  addressed  a 
note  to  President  Champlin  in  which  this  purpose  was 
expressed.  There  were  conditions  connected  with  the 
offer,  it  is  true,  but  they  were  wise  ones,  and  they 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      179 

were  nobly  met.  The  money  in  due  time  came  into 
the  treasury  of  the  college.  This  first  gift  was  fol- 
lowed by  others,  and  Mr.  Colby's  gifts  to  the  insti- 
tution up  to  the  time  of  his  death  amounted  to  about 
two  hundred  thousaud  dollars.  Best  of  all,  he  influ- 
enced others,  who  likewise  became  generous  bene- 
factors of  the  institution,  among  them,  notably, 
ex-Governor  Abner  Coburn,  who,  in  addition  to 
large  gifts  in  his  lifetime,  bequeathed  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars  to  the  college ;  and  to-day  Colby 
University  has,  in  addition  to  its  valuable  grounds 
and  buildings,  a  cash  endowment  of  about  half  a 
million  of  dollars.  The  prayer  of  its  first  president, 
"  God  bless  Waterville  College  ! "  has  been  abun- 
dantly answered.  The  name  of  the  institution  was 
changed  January  23,  1867,  from  Waterville  College 
to  Colby  University  by  an  act  of  the  legislature  of 
Maine. 

The  following  have  been  presidents  of  the  college : 
Jeremiah  Chaplin,  D.  D.,  1822-1833;  Rufus  Bab- 
cock,  D.  D.,  1833-1836;  Robert  E.  Pattison,  D.  D., 
1836-1839  ;  Eliphaz  Fay,  A.  M.,  1841-1843  ;  David 
N.  Sheldon,  D.  D.,  1843-1853;  Robert  E.  Pattison, 
D.  D.,  1854-1857  ;  James  T.  Champlin,  D.  D.,  1857- 
1873;  Henry  E.  Robins,  D.  D.,  1873-1882;  George 
D.  B.  Pepper,  D.  D.,  1832-1889;  Albion  W.  Small, 
Ph.  D.,  1889-1892;  Beniah  L.  ^yhitman,  1892. 
The  early  presidents  of  the  college,  with  scanty 
means,  performed   a   noble  service.     Dr.   Champlin 


180     HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

largely  increased  the  funds  of  the  college,  and  laid 
the  foundation  of  its  present  posterity.  Presidents 
Robins,  Pepper,  and  Small,  devoted  themselves  suc- 
cessfully to  the  development  of  the  college,  and 
President  Whitman,  with  untiring  industry,  is  con- 
tinuing the  work.  In  1871,  the  college  was  opened 
to  young  women  on  the  same  terms  as  to  young  men. 
'In  recent  years  the  number  of  young  women  had  in- 
creased so  largely  that  in  1890  the  trustees  adopted  the 
plan  of  co-ordinate  education,  and  organized  within 
the  university  a  co-ordinate  college  for  young  women. 
The  number  of  students  for  the  year  1893-4  is  the 
largest  in  its  history,  viz.,  two  hundred  and  sixteen ; 
of  these  seventy-five  are  young  women. 

Newton  Theological  Institution.  —  The 
Massachusetts  Baptist  Education  Society  was  organ- 
ized in  connection  with  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Boston  Baptist  Association,  September  22,  1814. 
For  some  time  the  organization  of  such  a  society  had 
been  contemplated  by  several  ministers ;  and  Rev, 
Lucius  Bolles,  of  Salem,  and  Rev.  Jeremiah  Chaplin, 
of  Danvers,  aftervvard  president  of  Waterville  Col- 
lege, had  made  some  progress  in  drafting  a  constitu- 
tion. The  letter  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  in 
Boston,  addressed  to  the  Association  that  year,  and 
written  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  also  suggested  "  the  propriety 
and  importance  of  forming  an  education  society  to 
afford  aid  to  those  young  brethren  who  are  desirous 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      181 

of  engaging  in  the  ministry  in  obtaining  literary 
and  theological  information."  A  committee,  consist- 
ing of  Rev.  Daniel  Merrill,  Rev.  Luther  Rice,  and 
Mr.  Ensign  Lincoln,  was  appointed  to  take  the  sub- 
ject into  consideration.  The  appointment  of  Mr. 
Merrill,  then  of  Nottingham,  N.  H.,  formerly  of 
Sedgwick,  Me.,  is  an  indication  that  he  was  promi- 
nent in  the  movement.  His  part  in  the  establishment 
of  the  literary  and  theological  institution  at  Water- 
ville,  afterward  known  as  Waterville  College,  has 
already  been  recorded.  Indeed,  his  interest  in  minis- 
terial education  had  been  evinced  at  an  earlier  date  in 
the  formation  at  Sedgwick  of  a  society  to  promote 
theological  education.  The  report  of  the  committee, 
of  which  Mr.  Merrill  was  chairman,  recommended 
the  formation  of  a  society.  The  recommendation  was 
adopted;  officers  ^\ere  elected,  and  an  address  to  the 
churches  by  Rev.  Jeremiah  Chaplin  was  issued. 

The  executive  committee  of  this  society  early  had 
in  contemplation  the  establishment  of  a  theological 
seminary  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston.  In  1825,  in  the 
eleventh  annual  report,  the  committee  referring  to 
this  matter,  said :  "  Your  committee  are  now  con- 
vinced that  the  time  has  arrived  to  build  this  part  of 
the  Lord's  house.  Although  attempts  have  been 
made  to  establish  theological  departments  in  connec- 
tion with  two  of  our  colleges  and  some  success  has 
attended  them,  yet  your  committee  are  of  the  opinion 
that   a   theological  institution   established   bv  itself 


182   HISTOEY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN    NEW   ENGLAND. 

aloue,  where  the  combined  powers  of  two  or  three  or 
more  men  of  experience,  and  men  of  God,  can  be  em- 
ployed in  instructing  and  forming  the  manners  and 
habits  and  character  of  young  men  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  is  greatly  to  be  preferred.  Tiiey  had, 
therefore,  appointed  two  sub-committees — one  to  draw 
up  a  general  plan  for  an  institution  and  inquire  con- 
cerning a  suitable  place  for  its  location  ;  and  the  other 
to  solicit  donations  and  subscriptions,  both  of  which 
have  made  some  progress.^'  One  of  the  colleges  to 
which  reference  is  made  in  this  extract  was  Waterville 
College,  and  the  other  was  Columbian  College,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  opened  in  1822. 

The  committee  appointed  to  select  a  suitable  site 
for  the  institution  fixed  upon  the  Peck  estate  at  New- 
ton Centre,  Mass.,  about  eight  miles  from  Boston. 
This  estate  comprised  eighty-five  acres  of  land,  with  a 
laro-e  mansion  on  a  hill  commanding  an  extensive 
prospect.  The  cost  of  the  property  was  four  thousand 
two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  necessary  altera- 
tions in  the  mansion  house  were  made  at  an  expense 
of  three  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty-eight  dol- 
lars, so  that  the  premises,  when  ready  for  occupancy, 
cost  seven  thousand  nine  hundred  and  ninety-eight 
dollars.  This  amount  was  contributed  by  thirty  per- 
sons and  one  missionary  society.  The  institution, 
known  as  Newton  Theological  Institution,  was  opened 
October  28,  1825,  and  the  act  of  incorporation  was 
approved   February  22,  1826.     Eleven  trustees  were 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      183 

named  in  the  act :  Joseph  Grafton,  Lucius  Bolles, 
Daniel  Sharp,  Jonathan  Going,  Bela  Jacobs,  Ebenezer 
Nelson,  Francis  Wayland,  Jr.,  and  Henry  Jackson, 
clergymen;  and  Ensign  Lincoln,  Jonathan  Bacheller, 
and  Nathaniel  R.  Cobb,  laymen. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  trustees  was  held  in  Boston, 
March  13,  1826.  At  that  time  the  act  of  incorpora- 
tion was  accepted,  a  professorship  of  biblical  theology 
was  established,  and  Rev.  Irah  Chase,  who  had  been 
connected  with  Columbian  College  in  the  department 
of  theology,  was  elected  professor.  At  the  annual 
meeting  in  Newton  Centre,  September  14,  1826, 
Henry  J.  Ripley  was  elected  professor  of  biblical 
literature  and  pastoral  duties.  Six  years  later  tliis 
professorship  was  divided,  and  Rev.  James  D. 
Knowles,  pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  in 
Boston,  was  elected  professor  of  pastoral  duties.  In 
1836,  Barnas  Sears  was  elected  professor  of  ecclesias- 
tical history;  and  in  1839,  Horatio  B.  Hackett  was 
made  professor  of  biblical  literature  and  interpreta- 
tion. 

Professor  Knowles,  author  of  the  Memoirs  of  Mrs. 
Ann  H.  Judson,  on  returning  from  a  visit  to  New 
York,  early  in  May,  1838,  was  stricken  with  confluent 
small-pox,  and  died  May  9,  at  the  age  of  forty  years. 
His  grave  is  on  the  institution  grounds,  a  little  in  rear 
of  Sturtevant  Hall.  Professor  Chase,  born  in  Strat- 
ton,  Vt.,  October  5,  1793,  was  prominent  in  deter- 
minins:   the    character    of  the    institution.      As   Dr. 


184   HISTORY  OF   BAPTISTS   IX   NEW   ENGLAND. 

Baron  Stow  once  said :  "  He  was  the  central  mover  in 
the  enterprise  of  founding  ir,  and  around  him  the 
friendly  elements  crystalized  and  coalesced.  Tlie 
plan  of  the  institution  was  his,  and  scarcely  a  prin- 
cipal feature  in  its  organization  has  been  changed. 
For  twenty  years  his  labors  as  professor  were  un- 
wearied and  self-denying,  and  through  all  the  subse- 
quent years,  he  never  faltered  in  its  support,  or  in 
hope  of  its  perpetuity.  So  long  as  Newton  Institution 
shall  remain  it  will  bear  the  impress  of  his  formative 
hand."  Professor  Ripley,  accurate  in  scholarship  and 
a  saint  in  character,  served  the  institution  in  its  vari- 
ous departments  with  the  utmost  faithfulness  thirty- 
four  years.  Dr.  Sears,  afterward  president  of  Brown 
University,  came  to  the  institution  on  his  return  from 
Germany,  where  he  had  become  familiar  with  the 
most  famous  scholars  of  that  country.  "  He  made 
his  pupils  feel  the  greatness  and  the  richness  of  the 
treasures  to  be  sought  in  the  domain  of  inspired  truth. 
The  peculiar  charm  of  his  teaching  was  due  in  part  to 
his  enthusiasm,  in  part  to  his  confidence  in  the  ability 
of  his  pupils  to  judge  for  themselves,  and  in  part  to 
his  habit  of  pointing  out  and  commending  to  them 
the  sources  of  knowledge."  Dr.  Hackett  had  achieved 
distinction  as  a  classical  instructor  at  Brown  Univer- 
sity. But  while  at  Newton  he  became  widely  known 
as  an  interpreter  of  the  sacred  Scriptures.  Inde>^d,  in 
his  department  he  had  no  equal  on  this  side  of  the  sea. 
"  Few  men  have  excelled  him  in  the  classroom.     His 


DEVELOPMENT  OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      185 

preparation  for  it  \vas  uniformly  thorough,  while  the 
music  of  his  voice,  the  richness  of  his  thought,  and  the 
beauty  of  his  language,  moved  and  charmed  those  who 
were  under  his  tuition." 

In  order  to  provide  accommodations  for  the  increas- 
ing number  of  students,  a  committee  was  appointed,  in 
1827,  to  secure  a  plan  for  a  new  building  and  also 
funds  for  its  erection.  In  1829  the  treasurer  reported 
that  the  building,  Farwell  Hall,  had  been  erected  at 
an  expense  of  ten  thousand  fiv^e  hundred  and  ninety- 
four  dollars  and  twelve  cents.  Additions  to  the  funds 
of  the  institution  were  made  from  time  to  time,  Na- 
thaniel Cobb,  Levi  Farwell,  and  Jonathan  Bacheller, 
three  of  its  earlier  patrons,  giviug  at  different  times, 
in  nearly  equal  sums,  the  aggregate  of  fifty-seven 
thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  It  was  at 
length  decided  to  attempt  to  raise  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  as  a  permanent  fund,  and  as  the  result  of  sub- 
scriptions obtained  by  Rev.  Horace  T.  Love,  who  was 
appointed  financial  agent,  February  23,  1852,  there 
was  added  to  the  funds  of  the  institution  one  hundred 
and  seventeen  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  dollars  and  thirty-eight  ceuts.  Of  this  amount 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  was  set  apart  as  a  per- 
manent fund,  of  which  ten  thousand  dollars  was 
designated  as  a  library  fund.  At  the  dedication  of 
Colby  Hall — erected  at  a  cost  of  nearly  forty  thousaud 
dollars — in  1866,  it  was  stated  by  Dr.  Stow  that  the 
institution   was  free  from  debt,  had  eighty  acres  of 


186   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

land  with  its  buildings,  a  permanent  endowment  of 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  a  few  endowed 
scholarships;  and  Dr.  Stow  added  :  "But  not  until 
the  library  shall  have  been  largely  increased,  and  an 
additional  building  for  students'  rooms  erected,  and 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  added  to  the  endowment, 
can  the  institution  be  regarded  as  suitably  provided 
for." 

In  December,  1867,  it  was  decided  that  at  least 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  should  be 
raised  as  an  additional  endowment.  In  December, 
1869,  the  services  of  Rev.  W.  H.  Eaton,  D.  D.,  were 
secured  for  the  purpose  of  raising  these  needed  funds. 
In  this  work  Dr.  Eaton  had  the  assistance  of  several 
interested  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  among 
them  Gardner  Colby  and  Hon.  J.  Warren  ^lerrill ; 
and  the  sura  of  two  hundred  and  eleven  thousand  four 
hundred  and  four  dollars  in  subscriptions,  varying 
from  one  dollar  to  eighteen  thousand  dollars  was 
obtained. 

In  1870-71,  Farwell  Hall  was  enlarged  by  the  ad- 
dition of  a  mansard  roof  and  otlier  alterations,  at  an 
expense  of  twelve  thousand  dollars.  In  the  following 
year  a  dormitory  and  dining  hall,  known  as  Sturte- 
vant  Hall,  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  nearly  forty 
thousand  dollars,  more  than  half  of  which  was  con- 
tributed by  the  late  B.  F.  Sturtevant,  of  Jamaica 
Plains.  About  this  time  a  gymnasium  was  erected 
and  the  old  mansion  house  was  taken  down. 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL   WORK.      187 

Since  1880,  the  scholarsiiips  of  the  institution  have 
been  increased  to  forty-two  (forty-two  thousand  dol- 
lars) ;  a  professorship  of  elocution  has  been  estab- 
lished (fifty  thousand  dollars) ;  the  library  fund  has 
been  increased  from  ten  thousand  dollars  to  twenty- 
two  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars ;  also, 
sixty  thousand  dollars  has  been  added  to  the  perma- 
nent fund  by  two  bequests,  and  a  special  bequest  of 
twenty  thousand  dollars  for  a  new  library  building 
will  soon  be  available. 

Prominent  among  the  professors  who  have  suc- 
ceeded those  already  mentioned,  and  have  already 
finished  their  labors,  are  Robert  E.  Pattison,  D.  D., 
Rev.  Albert  N.  Arnold,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Arthur  S.  Train, 
D.  D.,  Rev.  Heman  Lincoln,  D,  D.,  Rev.  S.  L. 
Caldwell,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  O.  S.  Stearns,  D.  D. 

Dr.  Alvah  Hovey,  who  was  graduated  at  Newton 
in  1848,  and  was  elected  a  tutor  in  Hebrew  in  1849, 
and  professor  of  church  history  in  1853,  became 
professor  of  theology  and  Christian  ethics  in  1855  ; 
and  this  position  he  still  holds.  In  all  these  years 
his  services  in  behalf  of  the  institution  have  been  of 
the  highest  value.  Thorough  scholarship,  unfailing 
candor  and  willingness  to  follow  whithersoever  the 
truth  leads,  have  characterized  his  career  as  an  in- 
structor; and  his  pupils  have  found  in  him  not  only 
a  helpful  teacher  but  a  delightful  friend.  His  pub- 
lished writings,  which  are  numerous,  hav^e  given  him 
a  wide  reputation  as  a  theologian  and  author.     Since 


188    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

1868,  Dr.  Hovey  has  been  president  of  the  institu- 
tion. 

More  than  eleven  hundred  students  have  already 
availed  themselves  of  the  advantages  that  New- 
ton affords.  Three-fourths  of  this  number  have 
served  as  pastors  of  churches  in  our  own  land.  Many 
of  these  have  held,  or  are  still  holding,  important 
positions,  and  most  of  them  have  proved  themselves 
useful  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  A  large 
number  have  done  heroic  service  as  missionaries  in 
foreign  lands.  Some  have  served  as  presidents  of 
colleges  and  theological  seminaries,  or  as  professors  in 
such  institutions.  The  wisdom  of  the  founders  in 
establishing  this  school  of  the  prophets  has  been  abund- 
antly justified. 

Other  Theological.  Institutions — The  Bap- 
tists of  New  Hampshire,  in  1825,  founded  the  "  New 
Hampton  Literary  and  Theological  Institution"  at 
New  Hampton.  It  was  designed  to  furnish  instruc- 
tion in  the  higher  branches  of  English  studies,  to  pre- 
pare young  men  for  college,  and  especially  to  provide 
theological  instruction  adapted  to  candidates  for  the 
ministry  whose  circumstances  would  not  allow  an 
extended  course  of  study.  Rev.  B.  F.  Farnsworth, 
D.  D.,  was  its  first  principal  and  professor  of  theology. 
Rev.  E.  B.  Smith,  D.  T>.,  who  was  a  member  of  the 
first  class  that  was  graduated  at  Newton  Theological 
Institution,  succeeded  to  the  principalship  on  the  resig- 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIOXAL    WOEK.      189 

nation  of  Dr.  Farnsworth,  and  entered  upon  liis  duties 
in  May,  1834.  In  1838,  Rev.  J.  Newton  Brown, 
D.  D.,  was  made  associate  professor  of  tlieology,  and 
discharged  the  duties  of  this  office  until  1845,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  James  Upham,  D.  D.  In 
the  fall  of  1853,  on  account  of  inadequate  financial 
support,  the  institution  was  removed  to  Fairfax,  Vt. 
The  New  Hampton  Institution,  transferred  from 
New  Hampton,  N.  H.,  to  Fairfax,  Vt.,  was  re-opened 
August  30,  1853,  under  the  control  of  a  corporation 
known  as  the  Northern  Educational  Union.  It  was 
the  understanding  that  if  the  people  of  Fairfax  would 
provide  buildings  for  the  institution,  an  endowment 
of  twenty  thousand  dollars  would  be  provided  by 
its  friends  elsewhere.  The  buildings  were  secured,  but 
the  available  endowment  was  only  about  six  thou- 
sand dollars.  In  addition  to  the  theological  depart- 
ment, there  was  an  academical  department  for  both 
sexes.  The  large  corps  of  teachers  involved  ex- 
penses beyond  the  income.  Differences  as  to 
methods  of  administration  arose,  and  the  endow- 
ment was  not  completed.  In  October,  1860, 
President  E.  B.  Smith  resigned,  and  Rev.  James 
Upham,  D.  D.,  was  made  his  successor.  He  held  the 
presidency  tmtil  1866,  when  he  also  retired.  After 
Dr.  Upham's  resignation  the  institution  continued  its 
work  under  a  succession  of  teachers,  but  with  gradu- 
ally waning  popularity.  If  it  could  have  had  adequate 
financial  support  it  would  doubtless  have  had  a  pros- 


190   HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

perous  history.  In  fact,  with,  its  meagre  support  it 
accomplished  much  good,  and  was  a  blessing  to  the 
Baptist  churches  in  Vermont. 

The  dissatisfaction  in  Maine,  occasioned  by  the  dis- 
continuance of  the  theological  department  in  Water- 
ville  College,  culminated  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Thomaston  Theological  Institution,  at  Thomaston, 
Me.,  in  1838.  Dea.  Nehemiah  Boynton  was  elected 
treasurer,  and  Rev.  Araariah  Kailock,  secretary,  while 
Rev.  Calvin  Newton  was  made  professor  of  Hebrew 
and  Biblical  Theology,  and  Lorenzo  B.  Allen,  A.  M., 
teacher  in  the  preparatory  department.  Prof.  Newton 
was  subsequently  elected  president  of  the  institution  ; 
and  in  1840,  Rev.  James  Upham  became  professor  of 
oriental  and  biblical  literature.  In  1841,  both  Presi- 
dent Newton  and  Mr.  Upham  resigned ;  and  Rev. 
Enoch  Hutchinson  took  the  place  of  both ;  but  it  was 
already  evident  that  the  institution  had  no  future,  and 
its  doors  were  soon  permanently  closed. 

Academies. — Of  other  Baptist  educational  institu- 
tions in  New  England  only  brief  mention  can  be  made. 
In  Maine  there  are  four  academies  or  classical  schools 
of  a  high  grade,  all  tributary  to  Colby  University, 
viz. :  Hebron  Academy,  at  Hebron,  incorporated  Feb- 
ruary 10, 1804  ;  Coburn  Classical  Institute,  at  Water- 
ville,  formerly  Waterville  Academy,  founded  in  1829, 
incorporated  in  1842 ;  Ricker  Classical  Institute,  at 
Houlton,  formerly  Houlton  Academy,    incorporated 


DEVELOPMENT   OF    EDUCATIONAL   WOEK.      191 

in  1847;  and  Higgins  Classical  Institute,  at  Cliarles- 
ton,  formerly  Cliarlestou  Academy,  founded  in  1837, 
incorporated  in  1891.  Hebron  Academy  has  property 
amounting  to  forty  thousand  dollars,  and  a  fund  of 
forty  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  dollars  and 
eighty-six  cents;  Coburn  Classical  Institute  lias  prop- 
erty amounting  to  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  a  fund 
of  fifty-seven  thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety-two 
dollars  and  sixty-four  cents;  Ricker  Classical  Insti- 
tute has  property  amounting  to  fifty  thousand  dollars, 
and  a  fund  of  thirty-six  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
seventy-two  dollars  and  fifteen  cents;  Higgins  Clas- 
sical Institute  has  property  amounting  to  ten  thousand 
dollars,  and  a  fund  of  twenty-two  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  twenty-one  dollars  and  ninety-four  cents. 
The  four  institutions  have  propert_v  amounting  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  a  permanent 
fund,  in  the  hands  of  the  treasurer  of  Colby  Univer- 
sity, of  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  thousand  one 
hundred  and  forty-nine  dollars  and  fifty-nine  cents. 
The  close  relation  which  these  institutions  sustain  to 
Colby  University  is  mutually  beneficial.  The  Univer- 
sity is  in  constant  touch  with  the  academies,  and  the 
academies,  year  by  year,  furnish  students  in  increasing 
numbers  for  the  University^  The  educational  system 
of  the  Baptists  of  Maine  has  been  highly  commended 
by  prominent  educators  throughout  the  country. 

Under  the  auspices  of  the  Newport  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation a  charter,  dated  July  4,   1837,  was  obtained 


192   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

for  "  The  New  London  Academy/'  at  New  London, 
N.  H.  President  Hovey,  so  long  connected  with 
Newton  Theological  Institution,  was  one  of  the  early 
teachers  in  the  academy.  But  the  institution  had  no 
endowment,  and  in  a  few  years  its  doors  were  closed. 
After  the  removal  of  the  New  Hampton  Institution 
to  Vermont,  the  Baptists  of  New  Hampshire,  under 
the  charter  of  "  The  New  London  Academy,"  which 
was  now  amended  by  the  legislature,  organized  "  The 
New  London  Literary  and  Scientific  Institution," 
which  was  opened  to  students  August  27,  1853. 
During  the  year  1856-57,  an  endowment  fund  of 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  was  secured.  An  addi- 
tional fund  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  for 
building  and  other  purposes,  was  raised  in  1868-69. 
The  permanent  fund  was  enlarged  in  1876,  Mrs. 
James  B.  Colgate,  of  New  York,  a  daughter  of  ex- 
Governor  Colby,  contributing  to  the  fund  thirty-five 
thousand  dollars.  About  this  time,  as  a  recognition 
of  the  interest  of  the  Colbys  in  the  institution,  its 
corporate  name  was  changed  to  Colby  Academy. 
With  its  added  facilities  the  academy  continued  to 
flourish.  The  beautiful  academy  building,  however, 
was  burned  April  25,  1892 ;  but  a  new  building, 
with  modern  improvements,  is  to  take  its  place  on  or, 
before  January  1,  1895.  Meanwhile,  the  other  build- 
ings of  the  institution  have  been  put  in  good  order, 
and  the  academy,  with  an  efficient  corps  of  instructors, 
continues  its  excellent  work.     The  permanent  fund 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   EDUCATIONAL    WOllK.       193 

of  the  academy,  at  the  present  time,  is  eighty-six 
thousand  dollars,  and  there  is  a  scholarship  fund  of 
twenty-one  thousand  dollars. 

At  the  Vermont  Baptist  Convention  in  1831,  a 
Board  of  twenty-five  trustees  was  appointed  "to  take 
measures  to  est:iblish  a  literary  institution"  in  that 
State.  This  action  resulted  in  the  founding  at  Bran- 
don, in  1833,  of  tiie  Vermont  Literary  and  Scientific 
Institution.  It  did  a  good  work  for  a  while,  but 
lacking  adequate  support,  its  usefulness  was  not  long 
continued.  The  Leland  English  and  Classical  School 
at  Townshend,  was  founded  in  1834.  The  Black  River 
Academy,  at  Ludlow,  was  founded  in  1835,  and  the 
Derby  Literary  Institute,  now  Derby  Academy,  at 
Derby,  was  incorporated  in  1839.  These  earlier  in- 
stitutions lucked  a  suitable  endowment,  and  at  the 
convention  in  1869  attention  was  called  to  the  import- 
ance of  founding  and  endowing  a  first-class  academy 
ill  the  State.  The  matter  was  referred  to  a  committee, 
and  in  a  report  in  1870,  and  also  in  1871,  the  matter 
was  still  further  considered.  A  Board  of  Trustees  was 
appointed  by  the  convention  with  instructions  to 
found  the  institution  and  rais3  an  endowment  of  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  announcement  that 
the  endowment  was  completed  was  made  September 
12,  1873,  and  the  village  of  Saxton's  Hiver  was 
selected  as  the  seat  of  the  institution.  Vermont 
Academy,  incorporated  in  1872,  was  opened  Septem- 
ber  6,  1876,  in  a  private  house.     About  thirty-six 


194    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

acres  of  land  were  secured  for  the  academy  ground, 
and  the  erection  of  suitable  buildings  was  commenced. 
A  large  farm  adjoining  the  campus  has  recently  been 
added  to  the  academy  property.  The  Academy  has 
now  six  fine  brick  buildings,  also  a  library  building 
of  stone,  aud  other  buildings,  giving  it  with  library, 
apparatus,  etc.,  a  first-class  equipment  for  its  work. 
A  building  for  scientific  purposes  and  a  new  armory 
and  gymnasium  are  to  be  added  With  its  classical, 
English,  scientific,  technical,  and  military  depait- 
ments,  the  Vermont  x^Lcademy  is  doing  for  its  students 
of  both  sexes  a  noble  service.  It  has  property  to  the 
value  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  be- 
sides its  endowment. 

Pierce  Academy,  at  Middleboro,  Mass.,  was  founded 
in  1808,  but  was  not  incorporated  imtil  1835.  For 
many  years  it  had  a  high  reputation  as  a  college  pre- 
paratory school ;  but  without  a  suitable  endowment  it 
was  unable  to  maintain  its  position,  and  was  closed 
about  the  year  1870. 

Worcester  Academy,  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  was  in- 
corporated in  1834,  as  the  Worcester  County  Manual 
Labor  High  School.  It  failed  to  secure  adequate 
financial  support,  and  for  many  years  its  patronage 
was  chiefly  local.  In  1864,  it  had  property  of  the 
value  of  thirty-three  thousand  dollars.  Added  funds 
were  raised,  a  new  site  was  secured  in  1869,  and 
Worcester  Academy  entered  upon  a  career  of  growing 
prosperity.     New   buildings  have   been  added   from 


DEVELOPMENT    OF    EDUCATIONAL    WuRK.       195 

time  to  time,  the  endowment  has  been  largely  in- 
creased, and  with  its  ample  equipment,  and  first-class 
instruction  in  all  of  its  departments,  the  institution 
takes  rank  with  the  best  schools  of  its  class  in  New 
England.  The  Baptists  of  Massachusetts,  in  placing 
Worcester  Academy  on  a  good  financial  basis,  have 
availed  themselves  of  a  favorable  opportunity  to  seize 
and  hold  an  important  educational  position.  The 
Academy  possesses  property  to  the  amount  of  four 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  has  a  permanent  fund 
of  one  hundred  and  six  thousand  dollars. 

The  Baptists  of  Massachusetts  for  many  years  sus- 
tained tlie  Shelburne  Falls  Academy,  the  Towusend 
Female  Seminary,  the  Charlestown  Female  Seminary, 
and  the  Worcester  Female  College.  These  had  no 
permanent  funds  and  their  influence  gradually  de- 
clined. 

The  Connecticut  Literary  Institution,  at  Suffield, 
Conn.,  was  established  in  1833,  and  incorporated  in 
1835.  At  first,  only  young  men  were  admitted.  In 
1843,  the  institution  was  opened  to  young  ladies,  and 
a  ladies'  buildings  was  erected  in  1845.  This  was 
burned  in  1871,  and  a  larger  building  took  its  place. 
The  institution  has  had  able  instructors,  and  its  his- 
tory is  one  of  which  the  Baptists  of  Connecticut 
have  reason  to  be  proud.  It  possesses  property  to 
the  amount  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars,  and  has  a  permanent  fund  of  forty  thousand 
dollars. 


CHAPTER   X. 

PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED. 

IN  MAINE. — At  the  opening  of  the  centmy  tliere 
were  in  the  District  of  Maine  forty-eight  Baptist 
churches,  with  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight  members.  Such  was  the  increase  of  population 
and  the  missionary  activity  of  the  churches  that,  at  the 
close  of  the  first  decade  in  the  century,  there  were  one 
hundred  and  twenty-one  Baptist  churches  and  seven 
thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-seven  church- 
members.  During  the  next  two  decades  the  growth 
of  the  denomination  was  still  rapid,  and  in  1830 
there  were  in  the  State  two  hundred  and  fifteen 
churches  and  thirteen  thousand  two  hundred  and 
sixty-six  members.  In  1828,  as  tiie  result  of  wide- 
spread revivals,  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  forty- 
four  baptisms  were  reported.  In  1831,  the  number 
of  baptisms  was  one  thousand  four  hundred  and 
eighty-two,  and  in  1832  it  was  one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  forty-one,  while  in  1834  it  was  one 
thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty.  The  reports  for  the 
years  1838,  1839,  and  1840,  gave  the  additions  by 
baptism  as  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety-six, 
one  thousand  two  hundred,  and  two  thousand  two 
196 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HTJNDRED.        197 

hundred  and  fortv-niue;  and  the  membership  of  the 
two  liundred   and   sixty-one  churches,  in   1840,  was 
twenty  thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety.    During  the 
next  decade  the  additions  were  not  so  large,  but  the 
two  thousand  and  three  baptisms  reported  in  1843, 
and  the  two  thousand  four  hundred  and  sixty-four  in 
1844 — the  largest  addition  by  baptism  to  the  Baptist 
churches  in  Maine  in  any  single  year — carried  the 
membership  of  the  churches  to  the  highest  number 
they  have   yet  reached,  viz.,   twenty-three  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  sixty.     During  the  remainder  of 
the  decade  there  were  constant  losses,  more  than  a 
thousand  indeed  in  the  year  following  the  great  in- 
gathering; and  the  statistics  for  1850  give  two  hun- 
dred and  ninety-five  churches  and  nineteen  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  fifty  members.     The  great  revival 
of  1858   brought  nearly  as  many  additions  to  the 
churchesas  were  reported  in  1844,  viz.,  two  thousand 
four  hundred  and   fifty-five,  and  in  1860  there  were 
in  the  State  two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  churches 
and  twenty-one  thousand  three  hundred  and  eightv 
members.     There  were  no  great  revivals  in  the  next 
decade,  the  period  of  the  Civil  "War  and  the  begin- 
ning   of   Reconstruction.     In   1870,  there  were  two 
hundred  and  sixty-five  churches  with   nineteen  thou- 
sand three  hundred  and  fifty-one  members.  During  the 
next  decade  the  number  of  baptisms  in  a  single  year 
exceeded  one  thousand  only  twice :  one  thousand  two 
hundi-ed  and  seventy-three  in  1877,  and  one  thousand 


198    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS   IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

and  forty  in  1878 ;  and  in  1880,  there  were  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty-two  churches  and  twenty-one  thousand 
and  thirteen  members.  But  this  number  was  largely 
reduced  in  the  next  decade,  in  which  no  general  re- 
vival season  was  enjoyed.  The  largest  number  of 
baptisms  in  any  single  year  during  the  decade  was 
seven  hundred  and  fifty-five  in  1886.  In  1890, 
there  were  two  hundred  and  forty-nine  churches,  with 
nineteen  thousand  two  hundred  and  seventy-one 
members.  According  to  the  Minutes  for  1893,  the 
Baptists  of  Maine  had  two  hundred  anil  forty-five 
churches  with  eighteen  thousand  four  hundred  and 
twenty-two  members. 

Other  religious  bodies  in  Maine  also  report  losses 
in  membersliip.  The  last  United  States  Census 
showed  only  a  slight  gain — twelve  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty — in  population  in  Maine  from  1880  to 
1890,  but  that  part  of  the  population  included  under 
"  native  born "  was  seven  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  less  in  1890  than  in  1880;  while 
during  this  time  the  foreign-born  population,  largely 
French  Roman  Catholics,  increased  twenty  thousand 
and  seventy- eight,  or  thirty-four  and  ten-hundredths 
per  cent.  The  conditions  are  not  the  same,  there- 
fore, as  in  the  first  three-quarters  of  the  century.  In 
church  work,  however,  the  Baptist  churches  in  Maine 
have  not  been  less  active  than  formerly,  and  they 
were  never  so  well  equipped  for  effective  service  as  at 
the   present   time;    while    in    Cliristian    benevolence 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED.        199 

there  has  been  a  most  gratifying  advance.  The  table 
in  the  accompanying  footnote  gives  the  total  benevo- 
lent contributions  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  Maine, 
reported  in  the  Minutes,  for  the  decade  1884-1893.* 
Including  the  two  Associations  which  embraced  the 
Baptist  churches  in  Maine  when  the  century  opened, 
there  are  now  twelve  Associations,  as  indicated  below.* 
The  Maine  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  which  was 
organized  in  1804,  was  incorporated  in  1823.  But 
already  a  movement  was  in  progress  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  State  Convention.  This  was  effected  in 
1824,  under  the  name  of  the  Maine  Baptist  Conven- 
tion. As  one  object  of  the  Convention  was  "  to  afford 
some  effectual  assistance  to  feeble  and  destitute 
churches,"  there  were  now  two  organizations  in  the 
State  receiving  missionary  funds  and  appointing  and 
supporting  missionaries.  The  question  was  soon 
raised,  therefore,  whether  this  work  conld  not  be 
more  economically  and  successfully  managed  by  a 
concentration  of  effort.  At  the  annual  meeting  of 
tlie  Convention  in  1828,  a  committee  was  accordingly 


11884,  $13,959;  1885,813,823;  1886,  ?18,241 ;  1887,818,959;  1888, 
$20,001;  1889.  .?20, 199;  1890,324,227;  1891,  ?21,098;  1892,  $22, 155 ; 
1893,  926,422. 

'  York  (1776),  Bowdoinham  (1787),  Lincoln  (1805),  Cumber- 
land (1811),  Penobscot  (1826),  Oxford  (1829),  Kennebec  (1830), 
Hancock  (1835),  Washington  (1836),  Piscataquis  (1839),  Dama- 
riscotta  (1843),  and  Aroostook  (1888).  In  the  re-arrangement 
of  associational  lines  in  1892,  Waldo  (1829)  and  Saco  Kiver 
(1842)  wore  dropped. 


200    HISTOEY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND, 

appointed  to  confer  with  the  Board  of  the  Maine 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  with  reference  to  a  union 
of  operations.  It  was  finally  agreed  "  to  petition  tlie 
next  legislature  for  an  act  of  incorporation  of  the 
Convention  in  lieu  of  the  act  of  incorporation  of  the 
said  Missionary  Society."  For  some  reason  this  was 
not  effected,  but  the  legislature  granted  a  separate  act 
of  incorporation,  March  10,  1830,  and  each  body  was 
continued  under  a  separate  charter.  Financial  em- 
barrassment at  lengtli  overtook  the  Convention,  and 
in  1840,  it  was  voted  at  the  annual  meeting  "that 
the  Maine  Baptist  Missionary  Society  be  considered 
the  sole  organ  of  our  domestic  missionary  opera- 
tions," and  the  treasurer  of  the  Convention  was 
instructed  to  pay  to  the  treasurer  of  that  Society 
whatever  sums  of  money  he  might  have  in  his  hands 
after  settling  all  just  claims  against  the  treasury. 
Thenceforward,  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century, 
the  Convention  attempted  no  missionary  work,  but 
held  its  annual  meetings  and  discussed  subjects  of 
general  interest  to  the  denomination  of  the  State,  or 
the  cause  of  Christ  and  humanity  at  large.  In  1856, 
in  both  organizations,  committees  were  appointed 
with  reference  to  a  union  of  the  two  bodies,  and  these 
committees  reported  in  favor  of  a  union  as  both  prac- 
ticable and  desirable ;  but  when  the  final  action  was 
to  be  taken,  in  1859,  opposition  unexpectedly  was 
manifested,  and  the  matter  was  indefinitely  postponed. 
But  there  wore  those  who  elearlv  saw  that  the  strength 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.        201 

and  efficiency  of  the  denominational  work  in  the  State 
would  be  greatly  iucreased  by  a  union  of  the  two 
organizations;  and  at  the  annual  meeting  of  both 
bodies  in  1866,  measures  were  adopted  for  securing 
from  the  legislature  a  suitable  charter,  Tiiis  was 
obtained,  the  act  being  approved  February  6,  1867, 
and  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Conventiou  and  the 
Missionary  Society  in  that  year,  the  charter  was  ac- 
cepted and  the  Maine  Baptist  Missionary  Convention 
entered  upon  its  beneficent  work.  The  permanent 
fund  at  this  time  was  two  thousand  dollars.  Funds 
in  increasing  sums  began  to  flow  into  the  Conven- 
tion treasury.  In  1886,  the  permanent  fund  was 
twenty-one  thousand  four  hundred  and  two  dollars 
aud  six  cents,  and  the  Convention  owned  real  estate 
valued  at  twenty  thousand  dollars.  In  1887,  there 
was  added  the  munificent  legacy  of  Governor  Coburn, 
amounting  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and 
for  several  years  enlarged  appropriations  were  made 
for  removing  church  debts,  building  or  remodeling 
houses  of  worship,  and  in  providing  in  various  ways 
permanent  improvements.  The  appropriations  for 
missionary  purposes,  and  salaries  and  expenses  of 
secretary  and  missionary  agents  since  1867  have  been 
(to  1893  inclusive)  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine  thou- 
sand one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  and  forty-eight 
cents. 

The  Maine  Baptist  Education  Society  was  organized 
in  Waterville,  August  17,  1819.     A  constitution  was 


202   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

adopted,  and  twenty  trustees  were  chosen.  An  act  of 
incorporation  was  secured,  which  received  the  approval 
of  the  governor,  February  5,  1821.  The  society  was 
authorized  to  hold  funds  to  the  amount  of  sixty  thou- 
sand dollars.  Rev.  Sylvanus  Boardman  was  the  first 
president,  and  Rev.  Thomas  B.  Ripley  the  first  secre- 
tary. Agents  were  appointed  to  solicit  funds  from 
the  churches  throughout  the  State.  October  5,  1830, 
the  trustees  voted  to  make  the  society  a  branch  of  the 
Northern  Baptist  Education  Society,  which  had  been 
incorporated  in  March  preceding,  and  the  treasurer 
was  directed  to  "  pay  all  money  in  his  hands  to  the 
treasurer  of  the  branch  society."  The  change  was  not 
regarded  as  helpful  to  the  cause  of  ministerial  education 
in  Maine,  and  in  1846,  a  new  act  of  incorporation  was 
secured  from  the  legislature,  and  accepted  by  the  So- 
ciety June  15,  1847.  The  return  to  the  old  order  of 
things  evidently  did  not  bring  all  that  was  hoped,  and 
two  years  later  the  Society  voted  "  that  the  Maine 
Baptist  Education  Society  be  in  future  auxiliary  to 
the  Northern  Baptist  Education  Society,  so  far  as  this 
can  be  done  consistently  with  the  legal  rights  of  the 
Maine  Baptist  Education  Society  as  an  incorporated 
body."  Relations  with  the  Northern  Baptist  Educa- 
tion Society  were  finally  dissolved  in  1858,  and  since 
that  time  the  Maine  Baptist  Education  Society  has 
continued  its  helpful  work.  In  1888,  the  directors 
of  the  Society  were  authorized  to  secure  an  amendment 
to  the  act  of  in^^orporation  so  that  young  women  who 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.        203 

propose  to  engage  in  missionary  or  other  religious 
work  could  be  included  among  the  beneficiaries  of  the 
society,  and  this  amendment  received  the  signature 
of  the  governor,  February  19,  1889.  The  by-laws 
also  of  ihe  society  have  been  amended,  making  it  the 
object  of  the  society,  not  only  to  give  beneficiary  aid, 
but  also  "  to  further  in  all  proper  and  legal  ways  our 
educational  interest  in  the  State  " ;  and  the  Education 
Society  keeps  in  close  touch  with  the  various  educa- 
tional institutions  in  Maine  uuder  Baptist  control. 
From  the  beginning  of  its  work  the  society  has  aided 
more  than  two  hundred  young  men  in  a  course  of 
training  for  the  Christian  ministry.  In  1893,  tlie 
permanent  fund  of  the  society  was  four  thousand 
seven  hundred  dollars. 

The  Maine  Baptist  Charitable  Society,  incorporated 
May  8,  1876,  is  designed  to  aid  indigent  Baptist 
ministers  who  have  rendered  valuable  services  to 
Baptist  churches  in  Maine,  and  also  the  widows  of 
such  ministers.  It  has  continued  its  beneficent  work 
from  year  to  year,  and  has  now  a  fund  of  three  thou- 
sand two  hundred  dollars. 

In  New  Hampshire. —  The  missionary  activity 
of  the  Baptists  of  New  Hampshire,  in  the  early  part 
of  the  century,  added  to  their  numbers  and  influence. 
In  1828  there  were  seventy  Baptist  churches  in  the 
State,  with  four  thousand  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven   members.     In   1830,    there   were   eighty- four 


204    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

cliurches,  and  the  membership  had  increased  to  five 
thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight.  In  1840, 
the  number  of  baptisms  reported  was  one  thousand 
and  forty-two,  and  there  were  connected  with  the 
one  hundred  and  three  churches  nine  thousand  five 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  members.  In  1843,  the 
number  of  baptisms  was  one  thousand  two  hundred 
and  seventy-two,  the  largest  in  the  history  of  the 
denomination  in  tlie  State,  and  the  membership  was 
increased  to  ten  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty-five. 
Of  the  one  hundred  and  seven  churches  in  the  State, 
at  least  sixty-five  that  year  reported  revivals.  In  the 
following  year  there  were  one  thousand  one  hundred 
and  seventy-four  baptisms,  but  in  no  single  year  since 
has  the  number  reached  one  thousand.  In  fact,  the 
membership  of  the  churches  declined  from  ten  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  forty-seven,  in  1844,  to  eight 
thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty-five  in  1858,  the 
year  of  the  great  revival,  when  six  hundred  and 
eighty-six  baptisms  were  reported,  So  large  a  mem- 
bership was  not  again  reported  until  1875, — in  1870, 
there  were  eighty-seven  churches  and  eight  thousand 
one  hundred  and  fifty-six  members, — wlieu  there  were 
connected  with  the  eighty-six  churches,  eight  thou- 
sand five  hundred  and  ninet\^-seven  members.  In 
1877,  and  in  the  three  following  years,  the  member- 
ship exceeded  nine  thousand  ;  but  in  the  decade  from 
1880  to  1890,  the  membership  reached  nine  thousand 
only  once,  viz.,  in  1880,  when  there  were  eighty-four 


PEOGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED.        205 

churches  and  nine  thousand  and  seventy-seven  mem- 
bers. In  1890,  there  were  eiglity-two  churohes  with 
eight  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-one  mem- 
bers. In  1891,  however,  the  number  of  members 
was  increased  to  nine  thousand  two  hundred  and  six, 
and  the  churches  to  eighty-three;  and  in  1892,  the 
churches  had  increased  still  further  to  eight v-five, 
and  the  members  to  nine  thousand  two  hundred  and 
eighty-two,  the  largest  number  reported  since  1846. 
According  to  the  Minutes  for  1893,  the  membership 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  churches  is  nine  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  forty-four,  and  the  number  of 
churches  is  eighty-five. 

It  should  be  added  that  the  United  States  Census 
of  1890  reports  a  gain  of  three  thousand  four  hundred 
and  ninety-three  in  the  native-born  population  in 
New  Hampshire  during  the  preceding  decade.  The 
conditions  of  growth,  therefore,  were  a  little  more 
favorable  than  in  Maine,  where,  during  the  same 
period,  there  was  a  loss.  At  the  same  time  it  should 
be  noticed  that  the  census  also  shows  that  the  foreign- 
born  popidation  of  New  Hampshire  increased  twenty- 
six  thousand  and  forty-six  during  the  decade,  1880 
to  1890. 

At  the  opening  of  the  century  some  of  the  New 
Hampshire  ciiurches  were  connected  with  Associations 
in  other  States.  The  Meredith  Association  M'as  or- 
ganized in  1789.  Other  Associations  have  followed  : 
Dublin  (1809),  Salisbury  (1818),  Portsmouth  (1828), 


206    rilSTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

Milford  (1828),  and  Newport  (1829).   The  benevolent 
contributions  of  the  Baptists  of  New  Hampshire  fur- 
nish gratifying  evidence  of  their  interest  in  the  vari- 
ous enterprises  in  which  the  denomination  is  engaged.^ 
The  first  organization  of  a  general  character  eifected 
by  the   Baptists  of  New  Hampshire,  was  the  New 
Hampshire  Baptist  Domestic  Mission  Society,  which 
was   constituted   at   Concord,    June  2,    1819.      The 
members  were  to  pay  one  dollar  a  year,  or  more,  and 
the  funds  of  the  Society  were  to  be  expended  in  em- 
ploying missionaries  in  the  State  or  elsewhere,  as  the 
members  of  the  Board  should  determine.     The  New 
Hampshire   Baptist    Convention   was    organized   in 
1825,  and  in  the  following  year,  under  the  name  of 
the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  State  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, an   act  of  incorporation  was   obtained,  which 
was   accepted    at    a   meeting    held   in  New  London, 
June  27, 1826.    "  It  was  then  voted  that  the  delegates 
whose  names  are  mentioned  in  the  act  of  incoiporation 
do  form  themselves  into  a  Convention  under  the  name 
of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  State  of  New  Hamp- 
shire "  ;  and  the  earlier  organization  was  dissolved. 
There  were  now  two  societies  in  the  State,  having  the 
same  general  purposes,  and  it  was  soon  found  to  be 
desirable  that  there  should   be   a    single  sociefy  for 
domestic  mission  work.     Accordingly,  at  the  meeting 

1  Tlie  following  are  the  contributions  for  the  decade,  1884-1893 : 
1884,  ^8,580.88;  1885,  $9,739.89;  1886,  §11,041.17;  1887,  §9,754.73; 
1888,  $10,473.61;  1889,  $12,621.76;  1890,  $14,794.45;  1891,  $14,- 
964.03;  1892,  $18,505.92;  1893,  $18,382.67. 


PROGRESS  SINCE    EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.        207 

of  the  New  Hampshire  Domestic  Mission  Society, 
June  25.  1828,  it  was  voted  to  dissolve  the  Society, 
and  transfer  its  books  and  papers  to  the  Convention. 
The  work  of  the  Convention  from  the  first  was 
prosecuted  with  vigor.  Such  men  as  Joseph  Colby, 
its  first  president,  Rev.  N.  W.  Williams,  Rev.  Baron 
Stow,  Rev.  Ira  Pearson,  Rev.  J.  Newton  Brown,  and 
Rev.  E.  E.  Cummings,  with  others,  labored  earnestly 
to  advance  its  interests.  The  contributions  to  the 
treasury  of  the  Convention,  during  the  first  ten  years 
of  its  history,  amounted  to  five  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  twenty-two  dollars  and  thirty-tliree  cents. 
In  1835,  the  constitution  was  amended  so  as  to  pro- 
vide for  the  annual  appointment  of  an  executive 
committee  to  take  charge  of  funds  for  the  relief  of 
indigent  widows  and  orphans  of  Baptist  ministers 
in  New  Hampshire.  In  1837,  the  donations  were 
greatly  diminished,  and  a  debt  of  one  thousand  two 
hundred  dollars  was  contracted.  This  was  paid,  and 
in  1840  the  Convention  was  again  ready  to  listen  to 
the  urgent  requests  of  the  feeble  churches.  Not  long 
after,  an  agent  and  missionary  were  appointed,  and 
after  the  war  the  beginnings  of  a  permanent  fund 
were  made.  A  statement  concerning  this  fund,  by 
vote  of  the  Convention,  was  included  in  the  annual 
report   of  the  treasurer  in    1883.^ 

1  Since  1883  the  growth  of  this  fund  has  been  as  follows  :  1883, 
$11,535.75;  1884,  $14,503.07;  1885,  814,865.75;  1886,  $14,992.97; 
1887,  $17,492.47;  1888,  $17,657.02;  1889,  $18,230.00;  1890,  $20,- 
935.62;  1891,  $20,985.62;  1892,  $21,020.19;  1893,  $21,520.19. 


208    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

A  new  constitution  was  adopted  in  1859,  and  the 
title  of  the  organization  was  changed  to  the  New 
Hampshire  Baptist  Convention.  Its  grand  object 
was  declared  to  be  "  to  promote  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  in  tliis  State,"  and  this  object  it  has  steadily 
kept  in  view,  while  it  has  not  withheld  its  aid  and 
influence  from  any  other  good  enterprise  in  which  the 
Baptists  of  New  Hampshire  should  have  a  part. 

Other  organizations  have  been  prominent  in  the 
work  of  the  Baptists  of  New  Hampshire.  In  1830, 
the  New  Hampshire  branch  of  the  Northern  Baptist 
Education  Society  was  organized.  This  was  followed 
in  1832  by  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Pastoral 
Association  ;  in  1834,  by  the  New  Hampshire  branch 
of  the  Baptist  General  Tract  Society ;  in  1837,  by 
the  New  Hampshire  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  ;  and 
in  1838,  by  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Anti-Slavery 
Society.  But  it  was  soon  discovered  that  this  multi- 
plicity of  organizations  was  undesirable.  Much  of 
the  time  at  the  annual  meeting  was  consumed  "  in 
goins:  throuo;h  the  drv  formal  itv  of  organizing  these 
different  bodies."  In  1844,  the  Convention  Board, 
in  its  annual  report,  called  attention  to  tiie  matter, 
and  suggested  a  change.  Several  of  these  organiza- 
tions at  length  dis:ippeared,  but  others  have  since 
been  added.  The  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Sabbath 
School  Convention  was  organized  in  1867.  In  1878, 
the  Pastoral  Association  was  superseded  by  the  Con- 
ference   of    Baptist    Ministers   in    New    Hampshire. 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.        209 

The  object  of  the  new  organization,  as  stated  in  the 
act  of  incorporation,  is  relief  of  "  aged  and  disabled 
Baptist  ministers  who  are  indigent/'  The  New 
Hampshire  Baptist  Historical  Society  was  organized 
in  1881. 

In  Vermont.— The  missionary  spirit  which  char- 
acterized  the  Baptist  churches  of  Vermont  in  the 

beginnings  of  their  history  was  still  the  characteristic 
of  these  churches  in  the  opening  years  of  the  present 
century.  Missionary  societies  were  formed  in  con- 
nection with  the  several  Associations,  and  earnest, 
self-denying  men  went  everywhere  preaching  the 
word.  Many  of  the  churches  too,  had  their  mission- 
ary societies.  Through  their  efforts  funds  were  col- 
lected for  the  prosecution  of  missionary  work,  and 
the  gospel  was  carried  not  only  to  destitti'te  communi- 
ties within  the  limits  of  the  State,  but  to  like  com- 
munities in  northern  New  York  and  Canada. 

^  Moreover,  with  the  beginnings  of  the  foreign  mis- 
sion movement,  a  deep  interest  was  manifested  on  tlie 
part  of  the  Baptists  of  Vermont  in  giving  the  gospel 
to  the  heathen.  In  1814,  Rev.  Luther  Rice  visited 
the  State,  and  at  the  Shaftsbury  Association,  a  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  Messrs.  "Kendrick,  Going,  and 
Manning,  was  appointed  to  report  on  the  expediency 
of  forming  a  society  "  in  that  vicinity  for  the  promo- 
tion of  foreign  missions.  The  committee  reported  in 
favor  of  sucli  an  organization,  and  a  society  was  con- 


210    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

stituted.  The  funds  it  collected  from  year  to  year 
gave  evidence  of  the  large  place  which  at  that  early 
day  the  foreign  mission  enterprise  had  in  the  hearts 
of  the  Baptists  of  Vermont. 

The  statistics  in  the  Convention  minutes  for  1826, 
record  the  Baptist  churches  in  Vermont  as  containing 
six  thousand  six  hundred  and  twenty-nine  members. 
In  1830,  there  were  one  hundred  and  twenty-two 
churches  and  eight  thousand  and  eighty-two  mem- 
bers. In  1831  and  1832,  there  were  two  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  twenty-six  additions  to  the 
churches,  and  in  1833,  the  total  membership  was  ten 
thousand  and  ninety.  In  1834,  the  number  had 
been  still  further  increased  to  ten  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  eighty-two,  and  in  1840,  to  eleven  thousand 
one  hundred  and  one,  the  largest  number  reported  in 
any  one  year  by  the  Baptists  in  Vermont.  Of  these, 
however,  four  hundred  and  seventy-seven  were  mem- 
bers of  churches  in  Canada,  that  were  in  associational 
relation  with  Vermont  churches.  A  period  of  de- 
clension followed.  The  bliglit  of  "  Millerism"  fell 
upon  many  of  the  churches ;  and  then  came  that  of 
"  Murray  ism."  Moreover,  the  anti-slavery  move- 
ment, while  it  had  noble  purposes,  awakened  distrust 
and  alienation,  so  that  in  many  instances  those  of  the 
same  household  were  separated.  It  was  a  time  too, 
when  the  churches  lacked  a  strong,  efficient  leader- 
ship. In  1850,  there  were  one  hundred  and  four 
churches  with  a   membership  of  seven  thousand  six 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED.        211 

hundred  and  fifty-three,  which  was  still  further  re- 
duced in   1852  to  seven  thousand  one  hundred  and 
twenty-one,  the  lowest  point  reached  in  any  year  since 
1828.     In  1860,  a  change  was  discernible,  and  there 
were  one  hundred  and  seven  churches  and  eight  thou- 
sand  two  hundred  and    sixty-three  members.     The 
removal  of  the  New  Hampton  Academical  and  Theo- 
logical  Institution  from  New  Hampton,  N.  H.,  to 
Fairfax,  aided  in   bringing  in  these  better  days  for 
the  Baptists  of  Vermont.     The  institution   had  an 
able  faculty,  and  the  work  it  accomplished  in  training 
a  faithful,  evangelical   body  of  ministers  cannot  be 
overestimated.      There  was  a   slight   falling  off  in 
membership  in  the  last  two  years  of  the  Civil  War, 
but  with  the  return  of  peace  again  there  was  growth, 
and    the    membership  of    the    churches   from   seven 
thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety,  in  1865,  increased 
until  1870,  when  it  was  eight  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and   seven,  and  the  additions  during  the  next 
decade  carried  the  number  up  to  nine  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  seventy.     Of  this  number  five  hundred 
and    ninety-four    were    connected   with    churches    in 
Canada.     The  number  of  Baptist  churches  in  Ver- 
mont in   1880  was  one  hundred  and  four.     During 
the  next  decade  the  number  of  churches  increased  to 
one  hundred  and  nine,  but  the  membership  declined 
to  eight   thousand  seven   hundred   and   fifty-six    in 
1890.     But  during  this  decade,  according  to  census 
reports,  Vermont  sustained  a  loss  in  its  native-born 


212   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

population  of  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eighty- 
three,  while  its  foreign-born  population  gained  three 
thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty  nine;  and  the 
foreign-born  population  in  Vermont,  as  in  Maine  and 
New  Hampshire,  is  largely  composed  of  French 
Roman  Catholics.  The  Minutes  for  1893,  give  the 
Baptists  of  Vermont  one  hundred  churches,  with 
eight  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-eight 
members. 

At  the  opening  of  the  century  there  were  five  Bap- 
tist Associations  in  Vermont :  Shaftsbury,  Wood- 
stock, Vermont,  Windham,  and  Fairfield.  Barre 
(now  Vermont  Central)  was  added  in  1807,  Danville 
in  1810,  Lamoille  in  1812,  Manchester  in  1818,  and 
Addison  in  1833.  A  movement  with  reference  to 
the  organization  of  a  State  Convention  was  in  pro- 
gress in  the  autumn  of  1823,  and  "The  Baptist  Con- 
vention of  the  State  of  Vermont  and  Vicinity,"  was 
organized  at  Brandon,  October  26,  1824.  In  the 
revised  constitution  of  October  1,  1851,  the  name 
was  changed  to  "  The  Baptist  Convention  of  the 
State  of  Vermont,"  and  in  1873,  it  was  again  changed 
to  "  The  Vermont  Baptist  Convention,"  in  order  to 
make  it  conform  to  the  name  given  in  the  act  of  in- 
corporation secured  November  15,  1851.  The  object 
of  the  Convention,  as  stated  in  its  constitution  at  the 
time  of  its  organization,  was  "  to  unite  the  wisdom  and 
energies  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  this  State  and 
vicinity,  thereby  to  facilitate  their  union  and  co-opera- 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.       213 

tion  in  supporting  missionary  labors  among  the  desti- 
tute, and  to  devise  and  execute  other  important 
measures  for  the  advance  of  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom." At  the  same  time  the  Board  of  the  Con- 
vention was  authorized  to  make  appropriations  to 
the  General  Convention  of  the  Baptist  denomina- 
tion in  the  United  States,  thus  closely  connecting 
the  work  of  domestic  missions  with  that  of  foreign 
missions.  At  the  first  anniversary,  in  1825,  the 
treasurer  reported  receipts  to  the  amount  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-one  dollars,  nearly  one-half  in  goods. 
At  the  next  anniversary  the  receipts  in  money  and 
goods  amounted  to  one  thousand  two  hundred  and 
forty-eight  dollars.  In  1830,  the  funds  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Convention  had  increased  to  one  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  nine  dollars,  while  in  1832,  the 
receipts  of  the  Convention  were  two  thousand  three 
hundred  and  forty-seven  dollars,  of  which  about  one 
thousand  and  eight  hundred  dollars  was  for  the  out- 
fit, passage,  and  support  of  Rev.  Nathan  Brown  and 
wife,  who  went  from  Vermont  to  the  foreign  field  in 
that  year.  The  work  continued  to  be  prosecuted 
with  vigor,  but  in  1837,  a  year  of  general  financial 
disaster,  the  receipts  fell  off  from  two  thousand  and 
six  hundred  dollars,  in  1836,  to  eleven  hundred  and 
forty  dollars.  In  that  year  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  recognized  the  missionaries  of 
the  Convention  in  Canada  as  its  own,  the  appointment 
and  oversight  remaining  with  the  Convention. 


214   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

During  the  next  decade,  the  work  of  the  Conven- 
tion suffered  from  what  has  well  been  called  a  spir- 
itual paralysis.  One  of  the  most  keen  and  accurate 
observers  in  the  State,  referring  to  that  period  a  few 
years  ago,  said  :  "  We  had  no  adequate  supply  of 
even  partially  trained  men  in  the  ministry  to  meet 
the  evils  that  came  like  a  flood."  The  report  of  the 
Board,  in  1848,  commenced  :  "  We  are  afflicted,  and 
we  would  be  humbled  in  view  of  our  low  condition 
as  a  Convention."  But  during  the  next  decade  hope 
again  revived.  Enlarged  contributions  came  into  the 
Convention  treasury.  During  the  years  from  1840 
to  1850,  only  five  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  dollars  was  received ;  but  in  the  ten  years  from 
1850  to  1860,  the  amount  was  twenty-three  thousand 
three  hundred  and  fifty-one  dollars. 

The  next  decade,  the  period  of  the  Civil  War,  was 
one  in  which  the  energies  of  the  people  were  severely 
taxed.  Yet  the  receipts  for  Convention  work  were 
twenty-two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixty-six  dol- 
lars, or  about  four  hundred  dollars  less  than  during 
the  preceding  decade.  The  brethren  M^ere  not  un- 
mindful of  the  exhortation  of  the  Board  in  the  annual 
report  for  1864:  "Let  it  not  be  said  of  us  that  in 
the  midst  of  internal  convulsions  and  civil  war  we 
were  unequal  or  recreant  to  the  work  given  us  to  do." 
They  took  hold  of  the  work  with  added  vigor.  In 
1869  and  1870,  a  missionary  evangelist  was  em- 
ployed by  the  Convention,  yet  without  expense  to  its 


PROGRESS   SINCE    EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED.        215 

treasury ;  and  his  labors  were  blessed  to  the  refresh- 
ing of  the  churches  and  the  conversion  of  souls. 
For  several  years,  from  1 873,  was  a  period  of  finan- 
cial depression,  and  at  the  opening  of  1879,  the  Con- 
vention treasury  was  two  thousand  five  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  in  debt.  This  was  paid,  and  the  Con- 
vention entered  upon  an  increasingly  aggressive  work. 
The  contributions  were  increased  from  year  to  year. 
A  State  missionary  was  employed  in  1887.  The  per- 
manent fund,  which  in  1867  amounted  to  two  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  twenty  dollars,  had  increased 
in  1886  to  sixteen  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  dollars  and  twelve  cents,  and  it  is  now  nineteen 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars  and 
twelve  cents.  ^ 

The  Vermont  Branch  of  the  Northern  Baptist 
Education  Society  was  organized  in  1830,  but  was 
merged  into  the  Convention  in  1845.  The  Vermont 
Bible  Society,  auxiliary  to  the  American  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society,  was  organized  in  1837,  and  this  too 
was  merged  into  the  Convention  in  1847.  The  Ver- 
mont Baptist  Anti-slavery  Society  was  organized  in 
1842,  and  like  the  Education  and  Bible  Societies 
answered  the  ends  for  which  it  was  organized  and 
then  was  dissolved.     The  Vermont  Baptist  Historical 

Society  was  organized  in  1876. 

1  The  benevolent  contributions  of  the  Baptist  churches  in 
Vermont  for  the  decade  1884  to  1893  were  as  follows:  1884,  ^7,- 
502;  188-5,  87,712;  1886,  $9,223;  1887,  $9,453;  1888,  $9,630;  1889, 
$9,280;  1890,  $8,771;   1891,  $11,267;  1892,  $11,553;  1893,  12,924. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

PROGRESS   SINCE    EIGHTEEN  HUNDRED    {continued). 

TN  MASSACHUSETTS.— The  Baptists  of  Massa- 
-l-  chusetts,  at  the  opening  of  the  century,  had 
secured  a  vantage  ground  which  enabled  them  to 
prosecute  their  work  under  much  more  favorable 
circumstances  than  had  hitherto  been  possible.  As 
the  hand  of  persecution  was  restrained,  the  churches 
were  allowed  to  follow  the  peaceful  ways  which  had 
been  denied  to  their  fathers,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  favor  of  God  their  membership  was  greatly  in- 
creased. 

In  1812,  there  were  within  the  limits  of  the  State 
about  seventy  Baptist  churches,  with  a  membership 
of  about  eight  thousand.  The  report  of  the  Conven- 
tion, in  1824,  gives  the  number  of  associated  churches 
as  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine,  with  twelve  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  forty-three  members.  But  twelve 
of  these  churches,  with  two  thousand  one  hundred 
and  sixty  members,  were  in  Rhode  Island ;  and  five 
churches,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty-eight  members, 
were  in  New  Hampshire.  The  number  of  churches 
in  Massachusetts,  therefore,  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty-two,  and  the  membership  in  the  State  was  ten 
thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty-five.  In  1830, 
216 


PEOGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.       217 

there  were  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  churches  and 
fifteen  thousand  ei-ht  hundred  and  twenty-four  mem- 
bers; and  in  1840,  there  were  two  hundred  and  nine 
churches  and  twenty-three  thousand  six  hundred  and 
eighty-four  members.     In   1843  alone  there  was  a 
gain  of  five  churches  and  four  thousand  five  hundred 
and  sixty-five  members;  and  in  1850  the  number  of 
churches  had  increased  to  two  hundred  and  forty-five 
and    the   membership  to   thirty-one    thousand    three 
hundred  and  forty-four.     At  the  close  of  tiie   next 
decade    there    were    two    hundred    and   sixty-eio-lit 
churches,  with  thirty-six  thousand  two  hundred  a'lid 
fifty  members.     During  the  Civil  War  there  was  a 
shght  loss  in  the  number  of  churches  and  church- 
members;  but,  in  1870,  at  the  close  of  the  decade, 
with  two  churches  less  than   in  I860,  there  was  a 
membership  of  forty   thousand    four   hundred   and 
twenty-one.     In   1880,  the  number  of  churches  had 
increased  to  two  hundred  and  ninety,  and  the  church 
membership  to  forty-nine  thousand  and  one.     There 
M-as  a  still  further  increase  in  the  next  decade;  and, 
in  1890,  there  were  three  hundred  and  eleven  churches' 
with  a  membership  of  fifty-nine  thousand  and  fifty- 
six.     In  1891,  there  were  three  hundred  and  eleven 
churches,  with  fifty-nine  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
eighty-five  members;    in   1892,   three   hundred  and 
eleven  churches,  with  sixty-one  thousand  one  hundred 
and  fifty-one  members;  and  in  1893  this  number  was 
still  further  increased  to  three  hundred  and  fifteen 


218    HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS   IN    NEW   ENGLAND. 

churches  and  sixty-three  thousand  one  hundred  and 
four  members.^ 

Unlike  the  Baptists  in  Maine  and  Vermont,  the 
Baptists  of  Massachusetts  in  recent  years  have  not 
performed  their  worlv  in  the  presence  of  a  constantly 
diminishing  native-born  population.  The  gain  in  the 
native-born  population  in  Massachusetts,  from  1880 
to  1890,  was  two  hundred  and  forty-two  thousand 
two  hundred  and  twelve.  Indeed,  the  gain  of  the 
native-born  population  of  Massachusetts  during  the 
decade  was  greater  than  that  of  the  foreign-born, 
which  amounted  to  two  hundred  and  thirteen  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  forty-six.^ 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Society 
in  1802.  Those  who  founded  it  had  regard  not  only 
to  the  destitute  fields  within  the  limits  of  Massa- 

1  The  benevolent  contributions  of  the  Baptist  churches  in 
Massachusetts  are  not  given  by  themselves  in  the  Convention 
minutes  previous  to  1889.  From  that  time  they  have  been  as 
follows:  1889,  «1156,715.26;  1890,  $167,769.03;  1891,  $189,472.81; 
1892,  $293,476.53;  1893,  244,825.71. 

^  Many  of  the  Massachusetts  churches  were  connected  with 
the  Warren  Association  in  the  early  part  of  the  century.  The 
following  Associations  have  been  organized  since  1800:  Stur- 
bridge  (1801);  Boston  (1811);  Westfield  (1811);  Worcester 
(1819);  Old  Colony  (1822);  Wendell,  formerly  Miller's  Eiver 
(1824);  Salem  (1827);  Berkshire  (1828);  Franklin  (1830);  Barn- 
stable (1832) ;  Taunton  (1835);  Wachu^^ett  (1842);  Boston,  South 
(1848);  Boston,  North  (1848);  Lowell  (1850),  dissolved  186G; 
Merrimack  Kiver  (1866) ;  Framiugham  (1872) ;  Boston,  West 
(1893)  ;  Boston,  East  (1893). 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.       219 

chusetts,  but  also  to  those  new  settlements  beyond, 
where  there  was  equal  need  of  the  presence  of  the 
Christian  missionary.  Evidently  they  had  no  ade- 
quate conception  of  the  magnitude  of  the  work  thus 
contemplated,  for  in  the  last  article  of  the  constitution 
there  was  a  provision  "  to  dissolve  the  society  when 
the  purpose  of  its  institution  shall  render  its  exist- 
ence no  longer  necessary."  The  Missionary  Society 
continued  its  work  about  thirty  years  without  any 
material  change  in  its  constitution  and  design.  Its 
original  founders  had  then  nearly  all  passed  away, 
and  its  labors  were  constantly  becoming  more  exten- 
sive and  pressing.  The  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society  was  then  formed.  The  men  who 
were  prominent  in  this  organization  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary 
Society,  and  the  latter  became  auxiliary  to  the  new 
Society. 

The  Baptist  Convention  of  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts was  organized  November  10,  1824 ;  and  a 
Board,  called  the  Board  of  Domestic  Missions  of  the 
Massachusetts  State  Convention,  was  appointed  to 
conduct  the  missions  within  the  limits  of  the  Con- 
vention. The  field  of  operations  was  designated  in 
this  way  from  the  fact  that  twelve  churches  in  Rhode 
Island,  with  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty 
members,  and  five  churches  in  New  Hampshire,  with 
two  hundred  and  fifty-eight  members,  were  connected 
with  the  Massachusetts  Convention.     The  importance 


220     HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

of  recognizing  the  needs  of  the  destitute  churches  wag 
emphasized  by  Rev.  Francis  Wayland,  Jr.,  then  pastor 
of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Boston,  who,  in  a  report 
I'ecommending  tiiat  the  principal  efforts  of  the  Con- 
vention should  be  directed  to  the  support  of  domestic 
missions,  said  this  was  not  on  account  of  any  indiffer- 
ence to  foreign  missions,  but  because  provision  for  the 
work  of  foreign  missions  had  otherwise  been  made ; 
and  the  hope  was  expressed  that  two  or  three,  if  not 
more,  missionaries  might  be  constantly  employed 
among  the  destitute  churches.  In  1834,  a  committee 
was  appointed  by  the  Convention  to  confer  with  tlie 
Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  with  a 
view  to  a  union  of  the  two  organizations.  It  was 
finally  decided  to  bring  together  in  one  society  the 
Baptist  Convention  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts, 
the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  and 
the  Western  Baptist  Educational  Association,  the 
latter  a  society  organized  in  Boston,  May  30,  1832, 
for  "  the  promotion  of  common  schools  and  education 
generally  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  under  the 
instruction  of  pious  and  competent  teachers."  The 
union  of  these  organizations  was  effected  March  4, 
1835,  under  the  title  of  "  The  Massachusetts  Baptist 
Convention." 

For  several  years  after  this  change,  the  Convention 
prospered  in  its  Avork.  A  secretary  was  employed, 
who  devoted  his  whole  time  to  its  interests.  The 
destitute  churches  were  aided,  and  as  an  auxiliary  to 


PROGEESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED.       221 

the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  the  Con- 
vention sent  funds  to  that  organization.  Next  to 
New  York,  the  Baptists  of  Massachusetts  were  for 
years  the  largest  contributors  to  the  funds  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society. 

But  by  a  combination  of  circumstances  this  pros- 
perity was  not  of  long  continuance.     The  Convention 
became  greatly  embarrassed  in  its  operations,  and  in 
order  to  reduce  its  expenses  the  services  of  the  secre- 
tary  were   relinquished,    the   appropriations   to    the 
churches  were  discontinued  and  attention  was  turned 
to  the  liquidation  of  the  debt.     In  1841,  the  announce- 
ment ^xas  made  that  all  liabilities  had  been  paid. 
Measures  were  now  adopted  to  give  the  Convention 
increased  life  and  efficiency.     A  secretary  was  em- 
ployed, and  added  funds  began  to  come  into  the  trea- 
sury.    In  May,  1846,  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society  severed  its  connection  with  all  auxil- 
iary societies,  and  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Conven- 
tion limited  its  work  to  its  own  field.     In  some  years 
it  employed  two  missionaries,  and  in  others  only  one. 
Sometimes  it  had  a  secretary  devoting  his  whole  time 
to  the  work,  and  then  again  one  rendering  only  such 
service  as  he  could  snatch  from  pastoral  duties.'    But 
the  Convention   continued   its   work  with   the   most 
encouraging  results.     Of  tlie  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  churches  in  the  State  in  1867,  only  eighty-seven 
had  been  independent  of  the  Convention's  aid.     In 
the  report  of  the  Board  that  year  it  was  stated  that 


222   HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS   IN^   NEW   ENGLAND. 

all  the  churches  in  the  Miller's  River  Association ; 
all  but  two  respectively  in  the  Franklin,  Old  Colony, 
and  Sturbridge ;  all  but  three  in  Barnstable ;  all  but 
five  respectively  in  the  Berkshire  and  Westfield  Asso- 
ciations ;  had  daring  some  period  in  their  history  been 
dependent  on  the  Convention's  treasury.  Of  the 
seventy  churches  in  the  two  Boston  Associations, 
thirty-nine  had  participated  in  its  benevolence,  while 
the  Salem  was  the  only  Association  in  which  more 
than  half  the  churches  had  been  wholly  independent 
of  its  fostering  help. 

In  1869,  by  the  settlement  of  the  Bumsted  will 
case,  valuable  property  came  into  the  possession  of  the 
Convention.  From  other  sources,  year  by  year,  its 
permanent  funds  were  largely  increased.  There  was 
also  an  increase  in  the  contributions  of  the  churches. 
Larger  donations  accordingly  were  made  to  the 
churches.  In  recent  years  appropriations  have  been 
made  for  removing  church  debts,  and  providing  suit- 
able houses  of  worship  in  fields  especially  needing 
them,  and  for  developing  new  interests.  In  four 
years  from  1888,  the  amount  of  seventy-five  thousand 
dollars  was  taken  from  the  permanent  fund  and  de- 
voted to  ^lilding  and  repairing  church  edifices,  and 
paying  debts  incurred  in  church  building.' 

1  The  increased  appropriations  in  recent  years  is  shown  by 
the  following  table:  1884,  $14,995.56;  1885,  $17,427.67;  1886, 
$14,201.83;  1887,  $19,935.15;  1888,  $32,187.12;  1889,  $30,082.59; 
1890,  $44,419.64;  1891,  $29,130.57;  1892,  $31,913.89;  1893,  $48,- 
399.96. 


PROGRESS   SINCE    EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.        223 

The  Massachusetts  Baptist  Charitable  Society  lias 
for  its  object  the  relief  of  widows  and  orphans  of 
deceased  Baptist  ministers  in  the  State  of  Massachu- 
setts. It  was  incorporated  February  3,  1821.  Be- 
fore this  time  several  Associations  in  the  State  had 
funds  for  such  relief,  but  after  the  organization  of  the 
general  society  they  transferred  their  funds  to  its 
treasury.  During  the  first  twenty  years  of  the 
society's  history  its  appropriations  were  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  twenty-two  dollars.  During  the 
next  twelve  years  they  amounted  to  eight  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars;  from  1854 
to  1864  to  twelve  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
three  dollars;  from  1864  to  1874  to  twenty-one 
thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars;  from 
1874  to  1884  to  sixteen  thousand  six  hundred  and 
thirty-four  dollars;  from  1884  to  1893  to  twenty-six 
thousand  four  hundred  and  eighty-eight  dollars  and 
seventy-eight  cents.  The  permanent  fund  at  the 
present  time  is  thirty-seven  thousand  five  hundred 
and  eighty-five  dollars  and  fifteen  cents.  In  1886, 
the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  authorized  the  so- 
ciety to  hold  property  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

The  Confsrence  of  Baptist  Ministers  in  Massachu- 
setts was  organized  in  1830.  Its  original  design  was 
to  promote  the  improvement  and  efficiency  of  its 
members.  But  from  its  origin  the  condition  of  aged 
and  disabled  ministers  in  destitute  circumstances,  and 


224    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

the  duty  of  providing  iu  some  way  for  their  relief, 
were  subjects  of  frequent  and  earnest  consideration. 
In  1861,  the  Conference  instructed  its  officers  to  apply 
for  an  act  of  incorporation.  The  act  was  secured  iu 
1862,  and  at  the  meeting  of  the  Conference  in  October, 
1862,  the  act  having  been  accepted,  the  Conference 
reorganized  under  it,  and  entered  upon  its  benevolent 
work.  From  1863  to  1883,  inclusive,  the  contribu- 
tions and  legacies  amounted  to  thirty  thousand  five 
hundred  and  twenty-two  dollars  and  sixty  cents,  and 
the  appropriations  to  nineteen  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  twenty-three  dollars.  In  the  decade  that  has 
followed,  1884  to  1893,  the  contributions  and  legacies 
have  amounted  to  twenty-nine  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  two  dollars  and  fifty-four  cents,  and  the 
appropriations  to  nineteen  thousand  six  hundred  and 
sixty-six  dollars.  The  permanent  fund  is  thirty 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty-nine  dollars  and 
ninety-eight  cents. 

September  14,  1791,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Warren 
Association  at  New  Rowley,  now  Georgetown,  Mass., 
Rev.  Samuel  Stillman,  of  Boston,  laid  before  that  body 
"  a  plan  for  the  formation,  within  the  Association,  of 
an  institution  whose  object  should  be  to  aid  persons 
preparing  for  the  ministry."  Dr.  Stillman  stated 
that  he  had  received  this  plan  from  a  friend,  and  it 
has  been  conjectured  that  this  friend  was  President 
Manning.  The  plan,  however,  was  signed  "A.  B."; 
furthermore,    Dr.    Manning's    name    was    not    men- 


.      PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.        225 

tioned  in  connection  with  the  plan,  and  as  his  death 
occurred  a  little  more  than  a  month  before  the 
meeting  of  the  Association,  it  would  seem  that 
his  relation  to  it  would  have  been  asserted  if  he 
had  been  its  author.  The  plan  is  printed  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Warren  Association  for  1791,  and 
it  contemplated  the  raising  of  a  fund  by  collections  in 
the  churches  '"'  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  such  young 
men  of  the  Baptist  denomination  as  may  appear  to  be 
suitably  qualified  for  the  ministry,"  in  securing  a  col- 
legiate education. 

The  plan  was  unanimously  adopted.  The  Board 
of  Trustees,  under  the  name  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Baptist  Education  Fund,  consisted  of  twelve  members, 
increased  to  thirteen  by  the  Association  in  1793,  and 
by  act  of  incorporation  in  1794.  The  rules  provided 
that  "  so  many  of  the  Baptist  Fellows  of  Rhode  Island 
College  who  are  members  of  churches,  shall  be  Trus- 
tees of  this  charity;  the  remaining  number  shall  be 
elected  by  ballot  by  the  "Warren  Association."  Of  the 
five  Fellows  of  the  college  who  were  eligible  as  Trus- 
tees, only  two  Avere  from  Rhode  Island ;  the  other 
three,  and  all  the  Trustees  elected  by  the  Association, 
were  residents  of  Massachusetts.  In  fact  at  that  time 
only  one  Rhode  Island  church,  the  First  Baptist  Church 
in  Providence,  was  connected  with  the  Warren  Associa- 
tion. The  charter  too,  required  that  all  the  meetings 
of  the  Trustees  should  be  held  in  Boston,  or  elsewhere 
in  Massachusetts.     Moreover,  neither  of  the  first  two 

p 


226     HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

Trustees  from  Rhode  Island  ever  attended  a  meeting 
of  the  body.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  members 
of  Massachusetts  churches  were  very  largely  promi- 
nent in  this  movement  to  establish  a  Baptist  education 
fund.  Furthermore,  it  would  seem  that  the  fund 
itself,  only  the  interest  of  which  was  available  for  the 
purpose  in  view,  in  its  gradual  accumulation  came 
very  largely  from  Massachusetts  sources. 

In  1811,  many  of  the  Massachusetts  churches  with- 
drew from  the  Warren  Association,  and  formed  the 
Boston  Association.  The  First  Baptist  Church  in 
Boston,  however,  retained  its  connection  with  the 
Warren  Association  until  1827.  The  Warren  As- 
sociation, in  1812,  voted  that  no  change  should  be 
made  in  its  relations  either  to  the  Education  Fund  or 
the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  but 
that  the  two  organizations  should  "  be  managed  as 
they  have  heretofore  been."  In  1814,  in  order  "  to 
supply  the  deficiency  of  the  Education  Fund,"  the 
Massachusetts  Baptist  Education  Society  was  formed 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Boston  Association  at  South  Read- 
ing, now  Wakefield  ;  and  the  Society  was  incorpo- 
rated February  10,  1818.  James  Colman,  whose 
name  is  a  familiar  one  in  our  early  missionary  annals, 
was  the  first  to  receive  the  aid  of  this  society.  At 
the  time  of  its  organization  the  Society  had  no  funds. 
The  churches,  however,  came  to  its  support,  and  a 
bequest  by  Mr.  John  Cornish  became  the  foundation 
of  a  permanent  fund.     The  Education  Fund  in  the 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.        227 

Warren  Association  continued  to  be  managed  as 
hitherto,  but  in  1824,  by  authority  from  the  legisla- 
ture of  Massachusetts,  the  fund  was  divided  equally 
between  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Education  Society 
and  the  Education  Society  of  the  Warren  Association, 
each  receiving  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  dollars  and  forty-two  cents."  * 

In  1830,  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Education  So- 
ciety became  the  Northern  Baptist  Education  Society, 
and  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Convention  at  its  meet- 
ing at  Southbridge,  October  28,  1830,  passed  a  resolu- 
tion, "  That  we  consider  the  enlargement  of  the 
Massachusetts  Baptist  Education  Society  into  the 
Northern  Baptist  Education  Society  as  a  most  auspi- 
cious measure."  In  1831,  the  new  organization  had 
more  than  one  hundred  beneficiaries  upon  its  rolls. 
This  is  a  much  larger  number  than  at  the  present 
time,  the  report  for  1893  giving  the  number  of  bene- 
ficiaries as  eighty.  It  is  gratifying  to  notice  that  the 
friends  of  the  Society  have  multiplied.  The  perma- 
nent fund  has  been  largely  increased  in  recent  years. 
In  1870,  the  permanent  fund  was  twenty-five  thou- 
sand two  hundred  dollars;  and  in  1880,  it  had  in- 
creased to  thirty-four  thousand  dollars.  When  the 
charter  of  the  Society  was  granted  in  1830,  it  was 
provided  that  "  the  said  Society  should  at  no  time 

1  See  valuable  historical  papers  by  K.  C.  Mills,  D.  D.,  printed 
in  connection  with  the  annual  reports  of  the  Northern  Baptist 
Education  Society  in  Massachusetts,  Minutes  for  1892  and  1893. 


228    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

take,  hold,  or  possess,  in  real  or  personal  estate,  a 
greater  amount  than  sixty  thousand  dollars  upon  a 
just  valuation."  In  1885,  the  permanent  fund  was 
fifty-four  thousand  three  hundred  dollars,  and  the 
legislature  of  Massachusetts  amended  the  act  of  in- 
corporation, enlarging  the  amount  it  was  authorized 
to  hold  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  In  1890, 
the  permanent  fund  had  still  further  increased  to 
seventy-two  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars.  It  is 
now,  1893,  seventy-four  thousand  two  hundred  dol- 
lars. The  appropriations  to  beneficiaries  in  1893 
were  eight  thousand  four  hundred  and  sixty-five 
dollars  and  sixty -four  cents. 

In  Rhode  Island. — In  1825,  there  were  in  Rhode 
Island  forty-four  Baptist  churches  with  a  member- 
ship of  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven.  Revivals  in  1829  added  large  numbers  to  tlie 
churciies.  Little  attention  was  paid  to  statistical 
matters  in  the  Convention  reports  until  1843,  when 
the  forty  Baptist  churches  in  the  State  reported  six 
thousand  four  hundred  and  eleven  members.  The 
revivals  of  1840-43  added  largely  to  the  membership 
of  the  churches,  but  the  alienations  created  by  the 
Dorr  Rebellion,  and  the  evil  influences  that  attended 
''  Millerism,"  weakened  the  efforts  of  the  churches, 
and  little  progress  was  made  for  quite  a  number  of 
years. 

In  1844  tliere  were  forty-one  churches,  with  seven 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED.       229 

thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-one  members ; 
and  in  1845,  although  the  churches  had  increased  to 
forty-three,  the  membership  had  declined  to  seven 
thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-four.  In  1850 
there  were  seven  thousand  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
ei2:ht  members  in  fortv-nine  cluirches.  Dnrino;  the 
next  decade  there  was  a  gain  of  one  church  and  the 
membership  was  increased,  largely  by  the  revival  of 
1858,  to  eight  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty- 
nine.  While  the  Civil  War  was  in  progress  there 
was  a  decline  in  membership,  the  Minutes  for  1865 
giving  the  total  as  eight  thousand  five  hundred  and 
fifteen.  Daring  the  second  half  of  the  decade,  how- 
ever, the  additions  increased  the  membership  to  nine 
thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty-three  in  1870,  and 
the  number  of  churches  during  the  same  period  in- 
creased from  fifty  to  sixty.  In  1880  there  were  fifty 
churches  and  ten  thousand  seven  hundred  and  nine- 
teen members;  and  in  1890,  sixty-nine  churches  and 
twelve  thousand  and  thirty-nine  members.  The 
Minutes  for  1893  give  the  number  of  churches  as 
seventy-five,  and  the  membership  as  thirteen  thousand 
one  hundred  and  twenty. 

The  Baptists  of  Rhode  Island  co-operated  with  the 
Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Society  from  the 
time  of  its  organization  in  Boston,  May  26, 1802,  and 
were  represented  on  its  first  Board  of  Trustees  by 
Rev.  Stephen  Gano,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  in  Providence.     Under  the  auspices  of  this 


230    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

Society,  Rev.  Asa  Niles,  in  the  summer  of  1805, 
labored  three  months  in  Warwick,  East  Greenwich, 
and  .North  Kingston.  In  1808  Dr.  Gano  visited  that 
part  of  the  State  lying  west  of  the  Bay  and  tlie 
Blackstone  River,  preaching  every  day  and  evening 
during  his  missionary  journey.  In  the  Minutes  of 
tlie  Warren  Association  for  1810,  among  the  contri- 
butions for  "  Missionary  concerns,"  is  the  contribution 
of  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  dollars  and  ninety- 
four  cents  from  the  "  Female  Mite  Society  "  in  Provi- 
dence. The  Baptists  of  Rhode  Island  continued  to 
co-operate  with  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary 
Society  until  the  organization  of  the  Rhode  Island 
Baptist  Conveution. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Warren  Association  at  A.ttle- 
boro,  September  7,  1824,  "brethren  Gano,  Wayland, 
and  Hall  were  appointed  a  committee  to  consider  the 
expediency  of  forming  a  Convention  of  the  Baptist 
denomination  of  the  States  of  Massachusetts  and 
Rhode  Island."  In  their  report  this  committee 
introduced  resolutions  approving  "  of  the  formation 
of  a  State  Convention  on  the  basis  of  the  plan  pro- 
posed at  a  meeting  in  Boston,"  May  26,  but  they 
sugo-ested  that  the  name  should  be  "  The  State  Con- 
vention  of  Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island."  The 
report  was  adopted,  and  six  members  of  the  Associa- 
tion, with  Dr.  Gano  as  chairman,  were  appointed  to 
represent  the  Association  in  the  meeting  called  for  the 
purpose  of  organizing    the    Convention.     For    some 


PROGRESS   SINCE    EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.       231 

reason,  however,  the  plan  of  forming  a  Convention 
of  Baptists  in  these  two  States  was  abandoned,  and 
May  12,  1825,  delegates  from  the  churches  in  Rhode 
Island  and  vicinity  met  in  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
Providence,  and  after  discussing  a  proposed  constitu- 
tion, adjourned  until  August  4,  in  order  to  give  time 
for  further  reflection.  On  the  reassembling  of  the 
delegates,  the  constitution,  after  some  modification, 
was  adopted.  The  act  of  incorporation  passed  by 
the  General  Assembly  at  the  October  session,  in  1826, 
indicated  the  object  of  the  Convention  in  designating 
it  as  '•  The  Rhode  Island  Baptist  State  Convention 
for  Missionary  and  other  Purposes." 

Of  the  churches  connected  with  the  Convention  at 
the  time  of  its  organization,  three  were  in  Massa- 
chusetts, viz.,  the  churches  in  West  Wrentham, 
Attleboro,  and  New  Bedford.  For  several  years  a 
portion  of  the  funds  of  the  Convention  was  appro- 
priated for  missionary  labor  in  Massachusetts.  The 
foundations  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Fall 
River  were  laid  by  a  representative  of  the  Rhode 
Island  Baptist  Convention,  and  the  Convention,  in 
1832,  held  its  annual  meeting  in  Fall  River.  An 
appropriation  of  four  hundred  dollars,  which  the 
Massachusetts  Society  made  to  the  Convention  in 
1832,  theref6re,  was  in  effect  the  refunding  of  money 
which  the  Convention  had  expended  across  the  Mas- 
sachusetts border.  The  income  of  the  Convention  in 
the  first  vear  of  its  history  was  three  hundred  and 


232   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

twenty-five  dollars,  and  more  than  two  thirds  of  this 
amount  was  devoted  to  the  foreign  mission  work,  in 
which  the  Baptists  of  Rhode  Island  had  taken  a  deep 
interest  from  its  comraencemeut. 

A  paper  called  the  "  Rhode  Island  Religious  Mes- 
senger'"'  was  published  in  1826,  and  was  recom- 
mended by  the  Convention  to  the  Baptists  of  the 
State;  but  it  failed  to  receive  adequate  support,  and 
was  discontinued  after  several  years,  although  in 
1827,  it  was  stated  that  the  objects  of  the  Conven- 
tion were  "  Foreign  and  Domestic  Missions,  the  edu- 
cation of  pious  young  men  for  the  ministry,  and  the 
publication  of  a  religious  newspaper." 

In  1832,  students  in  Brown  University  contributed 
forty-four  dollars  and  fifty  cents  to  the  missionary 
work  of  the  Convention,  and  among  the  contributors 
were  Jonah  G.  Warren,  afterward  corresponding  sec- 
retary of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union, 
James  T.  Champlin,  afterward  president  of  Colby 
University,  and  Edward  A.  Stevens,  afterward  a 
missionary  in  Burma ;  while  among  those  who  are 
mentioned  in  the  annual  report  that  year  as  having 
performed  gratuitous  missionary  service  was  "  Tutor 
Wayland,  of  Brown  University." 

Good  work  was  done  from  year  to  year  as  funds 
were  provided  by  the  contributing  churches.  At  the 
meeting  of  the  Convention  held  in  Providence,  April 
14,  1841,  measures  were  adopted  by  which  the  Con- 
vention   was    brought  into  close   relations   with   the 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.       2oS 

American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  throuc^h 
the  acceptance  of  an  auxiliary  connection  with  that 
body.  From  1829  appropriations  increased  from 
year  to  year  as  indicated  below.^ 

These  enlarged  appropriations  represent  also  the 
enlargement  of  the  work  in  recent  years.  In  1889, 
the  Convention  adopted  the  plan  of  concentrating 
efforts  each  year  upon  some  especially  needy  field, 
giving  the  church  in  this  field  the  privilege  of  ap- 
pealing directly  to  the  churches  for  assistance.  The 
wisdom  of  the  plan  has  been  confirmed,  and  the  Con- 
vention annually  appoints  a  committee  on  "  Concen- 
tration of  Effort."  The  permanent  fund,  as  given 
in  the  Minutes  for  1893,  is  fifty-three  thousand  and 
sixty-five  dollars  and  eighty-four  cents. 

After  the  gradual  withdrawal  of  the  Massachusetts 
churches  from  the  Warren  Association,  the  Khode 
Island  Baptist  churches  remained  to  preserve  its 
name  and  to  perpetuate  its  influence.  In  1844, 
the    Providence   Association    was   organized,    and    a 

1  They  were  ^441  in  1829;  $851  in  1832;  $644  in  1835;  $733  in 
1838;  and  $1,170  in  1842  was  increased  to  $2,734  in  1843  ;  but  only 
once,  in  1847,  when  the  amount  was  $2,157,  did  the  appropriations 
exceed  two  thousand  doHars  until  1865,  when  the  amount  was 
$2,065.  In  1869,  the  amount  of  the  appropriations  was  $3,094;  in 
1873,  $3,437  ;  and  this  was  increased  to  $3,635  in  1874;  and  $3,9-50 
in  1875.  During  the  next  ten  years  for  the  most  part  the  appro- 
priations were  below  three  thousand  dollars.  Since  that  time 
they  have  been  as  follows:  1885,  $4,506;  1886,  $5,-547;  1887, 
$-5,642;  1888,  $5,067;  1889,  $7,354;  1890,  $4,915;  1891,  $9,619,' 
1892,  $7,934;   1893,  $9,076. 


234    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   KEW   ENGLAND. 

third  Association,  the   Narragansett,  was   added   in 
1860. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  "  Baptist 
Education  Fund "  instituted  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Warren  Association  in  1791.  Up  to  1816  the  busi- 
ness of  the  Fuud  was  a  part  of  the  regular  business 
of  the  Association.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Association 
at  Pawtucket,  September  11,  1816,  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  consider  the  expediency  of  forming  an 
Education  Society.  The  committee  reported  that  it 
was  both  "  expedient  and  laudable  that  this  Associa- 
tion form,  within  itself,  immediately,  an  Education 
Society,  which  may  be  instrumental  in  the  promotion 
of  an  able  and  evangelical  ministry  in  the  Baptist 
denomination."  The  report  was  accepted,  and  the 
committee  at  once  submitted  a  constitution,  which 
was  read  and  adopted.  An  act  of  incorporation  for 
the  Education  Society  was  secured  from  the  General 
Assembly  of  Rhode  Island  in  1823,  and  in  the 
division  of  the  Fund  authorized  by  the  legislature 
of  Massachusetts,  the  Education  Society  received  oue 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-two  dollars  and 
forty-two  cents.  In  1830,  the  constitution  of  the 
society  was  modified,  and  the  society  became  a 
branch  of  the  Northern  Baptist  Education  Society. 
In  1842,  its  name  was  changed  from  "  The  Baptist 
Education  Society  "  to  "  The  Rhode  Island  Baptist 
Education  Society,"  and  severing  its  relation  to  tlie 
Northern  Baptist  Education  Society,  it  continued  its 


PEOGRESS  SINCE   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED.        235 

work  as  an  independent  organization.  In  the  half- 
century  that  has  followed,  manifesting  increasing 
strength  and  efficiency,  the  Rhode  Island  Baptist 
Education  Society  has  done  a  service  for  the  churches 
in  other  States  as  well  as  for  those  within  its  own 
borders.  It  has  a  permanent  fund  of  two  thousand 
two  hundred  dollars,  and  during  the  year  1893  aided 
twenty-six  students. 

In  Connecticut. — In  Connecticut  there  were,  in 
1800,  fifty-nine  Baptist  churches,  with  four  thousand 
six  hundred  and  sixty- three  members.  Ten  years 
later  there  were  sixty-one  churches,  and  five  thousand 
one  hundred  and  forty-nine  members.  In  1820,  there 
were  seventy-three  churches,  and  seven  thousand  five 
hundred  and  three  members.  During  the  next  de- 
cade this  rapid  progress  was  continued,  and  in  1830 
there  were  eighty-three  churches  and  nine  thousand 
one  hundred  and  ninety-six  members.  In  1840,  the 
ninety-six  churches  in  the  State  reported  eleven  thou- 
sand and  twenty-one  members.  The  great  revivals 
of  1842  and  1843  greatly  iucreased  the  membership 
of  the  churches,  and  in  1850  the  one  hundred  and 
thirteen  churches  in  Connecticut  reported  sixteen 
thousand  and  thirty-three  members.  In  1860,  there 
were  one  hundred  and  sixteen  churches,  and  eighteen 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  six  members.  In  the 
next  decade,  which  included  the  period  of  the  Civil 
War,  the  number  of  churches  was  reduced  to  one 


236   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS  IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

hundred  and  twelve,  while  the  membership  was 
increased  by  only  thirty-seven  (eighteen  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  forty-three).  In  1880,  there  were 
one  hundred  and  nineteen  churches  in  the  State,  and 
twenty  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighteen  members  ; 
and  in  1890,  one  hundred  and  thirty  churches,  and 
tweuty-two  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-nine 
members.  In  1893,  the  churches  had  increased  to 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seven,  and  the  members  to 
twenty-three  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight. 

In  Connecticut,  as  in  Massachusetts  and  Rhode 
Island,  the  conditions  for  growth  in  recent  years  have 
been  more  favorable  than  in  the  northern  New  Eng- 
land States.  The  percentage  of  gain  in  the  native- 
born  population  has  not  been  equal  to  the  percentage 
of  gain  in  the  foreign-born  population ;  nevertheless, 
in  Connecticut,  during  the  decade  from  1880  to  1890, 
the  gain  in  the  native-born  population  was  seventy 
thousand  and  forty-two,  while  in  Maine  and  Vermont 
there  was  a  loss  in  the  native-born  population  of  ten 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  twenty-one. 

The  Baptists  of  Connecticut,  very  early  in  the 
century,  adopted  measures  for  promoting  domestic 
missions.  The  Connecticut  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety was  organized  October  3,  1811.  Under  the 
auspices  of  this  society  the  work  was  prosecuted  with 
great  vigor.  August  31,  1814,  the  Connecticut 
Society  auxiliary  to  the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  was  founded  with  special  reference  to  work 


PKOGRESS  SINCE   EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED.        237 

in  foreign  lands,  but  it  also  soon  directed  attention  to 
the  work  of  domestic  missions.  At  the  meeting  of 
the  Board  of  the  Society,  February  5,  1817,  it  was 
voted  to  appropriate  sixty  dollars  to  Rev.  James 
Davis  for  eleven  weeks'  service.  Mr.  Davis  was  the 
first  missionary,  it  seems,  sent  out  by  this  society  for 
service  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  and  it  was 
voted  that  "  Brother  Davis  be  requested  to  continue 
his  missionary  labors."  Other  missionaries  for  the 
home  field  were  added  in  subsequent  years ;  and  in 
1820,  recognizing  the  broader  scope  of  the  society's 
work  as  developed  since  its  organization,  the  name 
of  the  society  was  changed  to  "  The  Connecticut 
Baptist  Missionary  Society";  and  "the  Board,"  in 
the  quaint  language  of  its  records,  "  met  with  en- 
larged hearts  and  liberal  views  toward  the  domestic 
field."  It  was  at  this  meeting  that,  after  much 
deliberation,  "  it  was  resolved  to  send  Rev.  Oliver 
Wilson  as  a  missionary  pastor  to  New  Haven." 
Other  ministers  also  received  missionary  appoint- 
ments. Zeal  for  foreign  missions  had  not  waned, 
but  the  importance  of  mission  work  at  home  was 
receivins^  wider  recoo-nition. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Hartford  Association, 
October  2,  1822,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  con- 
sider the  expediency  of  forming  a  Convention  of  the 
Baptist  churches  in  Connecticut.  This  committee 
reported  favorably,  and  delegates  from  the  churches 
were  invited  to  meet  in  Suffield  on  the  first  Wednesday 


238    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

in  November,  1822,  for  the  purpose  of  framing  a 
constitution  for  such  a  Convention,  At  this  meeting 
a  draft  of  a  constitution  was  proposed,  and  having 
made  arrangements  to  submit  the  same  to  the  churches, 
the  delegates  adjourned  to  meet  in  Hartford,  October 
29,  1823.  At  this  meeting  the  proposed  constitution 
was  considered,  and  on  the  following  day  it  was 
adopted.  November  5,  1823,  the  Connecticut  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  voted  to  transfer  its  books 
and  papers  to  the  new  organization,  and  then  dissolve. 
The  Convention  was  incorporated  by  the  legislature 
of  the  State  in  May,  1824,  under  the  name  of  ''  The 
General  Convention  of  the  Baptist  Churches  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut  and  vicinity."  In  May,  1829, 
the  name  was  changed  to  "  The  Connecticut  Baptist 
Convention." 

But  the  interest  of  the  Baptists  of  Connecticut 
was  not  confined  to  domestic  mission  work  within 
the  limits  of  the  State.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Con- 
vention in  1832,  it  was  voted  to  make  the  Convention 
auxiliary  to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society.  At  a  later  date,  in  the  time  of  the  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  tlie  constitution  of  the 
Convention  was  amended  so  as  to  include  among  its 
objects  "  circulating  the  unadulterated  word  of  God." 
In  a  revision  of  the  constitution  in  1876,  the  word 
"  unadulterated  "  was  stricken  out  and  the  lano-uase 
of  the  article  was  otherwise  modified. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  value  of  the  Con- 


PROGRESS   SINCE   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED.        239 

voution  in  developing  and  strengthening  Baptist 
interests  in  the  State.  The  churches  have  recognized 
the  importance  of  the  woik  by  increasing  their  con- 
tributions. Previous  to  1866,  special  donations  had 
been  made  to  the  treasury  of  the  Convention,  as  in- 
dicated below.* 

The  Connecticut  Baptist  Education  Society  was 
organized  May  14,  1818,  in  Hartford.  Its  primary 
object  was  to  seek  out  young  men  whom  God  had 
called  to  the  ministry,  and  to  aid  them  in  securing  a 
suitable  educational  preparation  for  their  work.  But 
not  long  after  the  organization  of  the  society  the 
importance  of  establishing  an  institution  of  learning 
in  the  State,  to  be  under  the  control  of  the  Connecticut 
Baptists,  was  felt,  and  in  1832  it  was  voted  to  appoint 
a  minister  and  three  laymen  in  each  county  "to  pro- 
vide, without  delay,  the  means  for  the  establisliment 
of  a  Literary  Institution  on  the  manual  labor  plan." 
This  committee  reported,  in  1833,  that  ten  tiiousand 

1  In  1843,  $1,000  was  given  by  Philo  Morse,  to  be  appropriated  in 
ten  years  for  labor  in  Litchfield  County ;  in  1851,  from  a  bequest  of 
Miss  Ehoda  Cook,  of  Hartford,  31,264.50;  in  1853,  from  the  estate 
of  J.  Elliott,  of  Pomfret,  ?300;  in  1855,  from  Miss  Betsey  Smith, 
of  Northford,  $2,000;  in  the  same  year,  from  Isaiah  Watrous,  of 
Chester,  §108;  and  in  1860,  from  Mr.  Truman  Woodruff,  of 
Great  Britain,  upward  of  $2,000.  The  permanent  fund  in  1893 
was  $22,941.43. 

The  benevolent  contributions  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  Con- 
necticut during  the  decade,  1884-1893,  were  as  follows:  1884, 
$29,385.77;  1885,  $28,194.64;  1886,  $26,457.33;  1887,  $;33,027.90; 
1888,  $33,88-5.01;  1880,  $37,784.41;  1890,  $37,188.78;  1891,  $39,- 
548.52;   1892,  $55,798.48;  1893,  $50,220.83. 


240   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

dollars  had  been  raised  for  an  institution  to  be  located 
at  Suffield.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  Con- 
necticut Literary  Institution  at  Suffield.  These  two 
aims  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Education  Society  has 
continued  to  keep  in  view.  It  has  aided  young  men 
in  their  preparation  for  the  work  of  the  Christian 
ministry,  and  it  has  also  aided  the  institution  at 
Suffield  by  enlarging  its  funds  and  adding  to  its 
educational  facilities.  In  1832,  the  society  voted  to 
co-operate  with  the  Northern  Baptist  Education 
Society,  and  an  auxiliary  relation  existed  for  a  short 
time,  but  during  the  greater  part  of  its  history  the 
society  has  maintained  an  independent  position. 

The  Connecticut  branch  of  the  Baptist  General 
Tract  Society  was  organized  in  1830.  In  1843,  the 
society  voted  to  close  its  accounts,  and  the  work  of 
the  society  was  transferred  to  the  Connecticut  Baptist 
Sunday-school  and  Publication  Society;  and  in  1845, 
this  organization  was  merged  into  the  State  Conven- 
tion. 

The  Connecticut  Baptist  Bible  Society,  organized 
in  1836,  was  auxiliary  to  the  American  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society.  In  1844,  the  society  also  transferred 
its  interests  to  the  State  Convention. 

The  Conference  of  Baptist  Ministers  in  Connecticut 
was  organized  in  1882. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT. 

THE  Sunday-school  movement  in  New  England 
had  its  beginnings  in  Pawtucket,  R.  I.  Here, 
in  1790,  Mr.  Samuel  Slater  erected  the  first  cotton  mill 
in  America;  and  a  few  years  later,  in  1796  or  1797, 
he  organized  a  Sunday-school  for  the  benefit  of  the 
children  of  his  factory  employees.  This  school  was 
on  the  plan  of  the  schools  established  by  Robert 
Rail^es,  in  Gloucester,  England,  in  which  the  main 
purpose  was  to  impart  elementary  instruction,  and 
the  teachers  were  paid  for  their  services.  In  1805, 
David  Benedict,  then  a  student  in  Brown  University, 
and  a  licensed  Baptist  preacher,  took  charge  of  this 
school.  Bible  reading  and  religious  matters  were 
added  to  the  instruction  hitherto  given,  and  eventu- 
ally the  school  became  two  schools,  one  of  which 
was  connected  with  the  Baptist  church  of  which  Dr. 
Benedict  was  the  pastor,  and  the  other  with  the 
Episcopal  church. 

But  the  progress  of  the  movement  thus  inaugurated 
was  slow.  Rev.  Dr.  Rufus  Babcock,  writing  in  1864, 
could  say,  referring  to  his  own  experience:  "Fifty 
years  ago,  a  boy  of  fifteen  years  of  age,  in  the  house- 
hold of  a  Baptist  pastor  in  New  England,  having 

Q  241 


242   HISTOEY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN    NEW   ENGLAND. 

access  to  the  full  means  of  information  current  at 
that  period,  had  never  heard  of  a  Sabbnth-school." 

In  Boston,  the  Sunday-school  moveujt'ut  had  its 
beginnings  in  connection  with  the  Charles  Street 
Baptist  Church,  of  which  Rev.  Daniel  Sharp  was 
pastor.  Mrs.  Sharp  had  become  interested  in  the 
Sunday-school  work  that  had  been  inaugurated  in 
New  York  by  Mrs.  Isabella  Graham  and  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Divie  Bethune,  and  was  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  establishing  a  similar  work 
in  Boston.  Accordingly,  in  June,  1816,  the  Charles 
Street  Baptist  Sunday-school  was  organized. 

The  report  made  to  the  Massachusetts  Sabbath 
School  Union,  in  1826,  states  that  there  were  two 
schools  connected  with  the  Cliarles  Street  Church,  a 
"Male  Sabbath-school,"  and  a  "Female  Sabbath- 
school."  Of  the  former  the  report  says :  "  Since 
the  commencement  of  this  school  in  1816,  there  have 
been  connected  with  it  at  different  times  six  hundred 
and  twenty  boys,  under  the  care  of  twelve  directo'"s 
and  seventy  teachers,  fourteen  of  whom  became  pro- 
fessors of  religion  subsequently  to  their  connection 
with  the  school,  and  six  of  their  number  have  been 
licensed  to  preach  the  gospel,  three  of  whom  are 
settled  in  the  ministry.  The  female  Sabbath-school 
contained  two  hundred  and  five  girls,  under  the  care 
of  seventeen  teachers.  Two  scholars  have  professed 
religion  since  their  connection  with  the  school.  At  the 
commencement  of  the  school   in   1816,  most  of  the 


THE  SUXDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  243 

children  were  in  a  state  of  deplorable  ignorance  in 
regard  to  the  word  of  God.  Many  of  them  have 
made  rapid  improvement.  One  girl  selected  ninety 
passages  of  Scripture  to  prove  the  depravity  of  man ; 
others  have  found  from  sixty  to  seventy  to  prove  that 
mercy  is  God's  darling  attribute.  A  library  is  at- 
tached to  the  school.  Teachers'  meetings  are  held 
once  a  fortnight,  when  an  account  is  given  of  visits 
made  by  the  parents.  In  many  instances  the  teachers 
have  afforded  temporal  and  spiritual  relief;  and  the 
blessings  of  many  ready  to  perish  have  fallen  on 
them.  Two  hundred  and  fifteen  visits  have  been 
made  by  the  teachers  the  past  year." 

According  to  the  same  report  the  Sabbath-school 
of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Boston,  Rev.  Francis 
Wayland,  pastor,  was  managed  by  five  directors,  with 
whom  were  associated  two  secretaries,  and  there  were 
twenty-seven  teachers,  ninety  boys,  and  one  hundred 
and  twenty  girls  connected  with  the  school. 

The  Sunday-school  connected  with  the  Second 
Baptist  Church,  Boston,  Rev.  James  D.  Knowles, 
pastor,  contained  ninety-two  boys  and  one  liundred 
and  twenty  girls,  under  the  care  of  twenty  teachers. 
"Since  this  school  began  its  operations,  more  than 
eight  years  since,  twenty-seven  teachers  have  united 
with  the  church ;  and  more  than  six  hundred  and 
fifty  boys,  besides  girls,  have  been  instructed  in  the 
great  truths  of  the  gospel.  .  .  During  the  year  a 
Sabbath-school  library  has  beeu  formed  of  one  hun- 


244    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

d red  and  sixty  volumes,  aud  is  found  interesting  and 
useful.  The  Sabbath-school  monthly  concert  has  been 
regularly  observed." 

The  "  Lord's  Day  School  Association "  connected 
with  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Charlestown,*  Rev. 
Henry  Jackson,  pastor,  had  three  schools,  "  one  for 
males,  one  for  females,  and  one  for  both  sexes  in  a 
remote  part  of  the  town,  which  is  governed  and 
taught  by  females.  They  contain  together  three 
superintendents,  six  managers,  and  twenty-three 
teachers,  with  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  scholars. 
Three  teachers  have  become  professors  of  religion 
since  their  connection  with  the  school." 

These  statements  give  us  an  interesting  glimpse  of 
the  Sunday-schools  of  that  period.  Many  of  the 
teachers  were  not  professors  of  religion.  Conversions 
among  the  scholars  were  few.  Tiie  study  of  the 
Bible  included  the  search  for  proof-passages.  Already 
there  were  Sunday-school  libraries.  Teachers'  meet- 
ings were  held,  and  also  the  Sunday-school  monthly 
concert. 

At  first  the  Sunday-school  movement  was  confined 
to  the  cities  and  larger  towns.  But  Sunday-schools 
were  soon  to  be  found  also  in  the  rural  communities 
of  New  England.     So   far  as  is  known,  the  school 

1  It  is  said  that  this  was  the  first  Baptist  Sunday-school  organ- 
ized in  Massachusetts.  In  the  Minutes  of  the  Boston  North  Bap- 
tist Association  for  1891-92,  page  25,  it  is  said  that  this  "Sunday- 
school  was  organized  about  1813." 


THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  245 

established  in  West  Dedhara,  Mass.,  early  in  1817, 
was  the  first  Suuday-school  of  this  kind.  Mrs. 
Betsey  Baker,  a  member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
in  Medfield,  Mass.,  was  its  founder.  Says  Dr.  Warren 
Randolph :  "  Site  had  formerly  lived  in  Rhode  Island, 
where  she  had  probably  learned  something  of  the 
work,  and  had  caught  something  of  the  spirit  of 
Mr.  Benedict  and  his  associates  at  Pawtucket.  In 
her  new  home  she  immediately  gathered  the  children 
of  the  neighborhood  in  an  unfinished  chamber  of  her 
own  house,  to  give  them  religious  instruction  on  the 
Lord's  Day.  Sixteen  was  the  number  first  enrolled. 
She  had  few  books  except  her  Bible,  and  to  teach 
that  was  from  the  first  her  object.  From  the  pro- 
ceeds of  '  straw  braid,'  which  she  was  the  first  to 
manufacture  in  this  country,  she  purchased  a  few 
useful  volumes,  and  for  many  years  kept  them  in  a 
small  chest,  which  she  could  carry  under  her  arm, 
and  which  is  still  preserved  as  a  precious  memento 
by  her  children.  This  devoted  woman  labored  in  the 
cause  for  nearly  half  a  century.  At  first  she  bore 
the  burden  almost  entirely  alone,  but  she  lived  to  see 
her  school  grow  into  a  Baptist  church,  and  then  to 
see  this  expand  to  well-nigh  a  dozen  other  schools 
and  churches." 

In  Providence,  R.  I.,  the  first  steps  toward  the 
organization  of  a  Baptist  Sunday-school  were  taken 
as  early  as  1815,  when  Miss  Maria  T.  Gano  gathered 
a  school  of  colored  women  and  children  for  iaistruc- 


246     HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

tion  ou  Sundays  in  a  house  on  Olney  Street.  The 
school  was  continued  until  1819.  Others,  who  desired 
to  be  engaged  in  a  like  service,  met  in  Dr.  Gano's 
study  in  1818,  to  devise  measures  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  Sunday-school.  "  Henry  Jackson  was 
there,  at  whose  suggestion  the  company  had  met ; 
Rufus  Babcock,  Elisha  Andrews,  and  other  young 
students  from  the  college,  together  with  young  men, 
residents  of  the  town  ;  the  pastor's  daughters  were 
there,  and  other  young  ladies ;  and  these  young 
Christians  mingled  together  their  prayers  and  delib- 
erations under  the  guidance  of  the  pastor."  The 
result  of  this  meeting  was  the  formation  of  a  union 
school,  which  was  held  at  noon  on  Sundays  in  ihe  town 
house.  This  undertaking  suggested  to  some  of  these 
young  Christians  the  need  of  a  Sunday-school  con- 
nected with  the  First  Baptist  Church,  and  such  a 
school  was  organized  May  30,  1819,  with  about  forty 
scholars.  Prof.  John  L.  Lincoln,  in  his  history  of 
the  school,  says  that  "  the  older  members  of  the 
church  held  aloof  from  the  new  movement  with  some 
apprehensions.  They  thought  that  the  teaching  of  a 
school  on  Sunday  would  be  an  encroachment  on  sacred 
time,  and  they  feared  that  there  might  be  a  falling  off 
in  parental  instruction  and  so  in  family  religion." 

As  Sunday-schools  multiplied  in  the  several  States, 
and  their  value  to  tlie  churches  was  recognized,  it  was 
deemed  advisable  that  those  especially  interested  in 
Sunday-school   work    should   come    together   for    the 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  247 

consideration  of  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of 

the  schools  already  established,  as  well  as  for   the 
extension  of  the  Sunday-school  movement. 

Maine. — The  York  Baptist  Association,  in  1827, 
"voted  that  the  churches  in  this  Association  exert 
all  their  influence  to  establish  and  support  Sabbath- 
schools  among  themselves,  and  that  the  churches 
report  in  their  letters  to  the  Association  the  number 
of  scholars,  together  with  the  prospect  that  is  before 
them."  In  1828,  the  Bowdoinham  Association  re- 
commended to  the  churches  "to  establish  Sunday- 
schools,  with  libraries  connected,  for  the  edification 
of  the  children";  and  also  "to  establish  Bible  classes, 
and  that  they  be  encouraged  to  become  auxiliary  to 
the  American  Bible  Class  Society."  The  circular 
letter  also  contained  suggestions  with  reference  to  the 
organization  of  schools  and  classes,  wliile  a  general 
letter  addressed  to  sister  Associations  recommended 
these  agencies.  In  1829,  the  importance  of  the  Sun- 
day-school movement  was  asserted  by  the  Cumberland 
Association.  In  that  year,  also,  the  Sabbath  School 
Union  for  Kennebec  County  was  organized  by  Bap- 
tists and  Congregationalists,  with  President  cliaplin, 
of  Waterville  College,  as  president.  In  1830,  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  Lisbon  sent  to  the  Bowdoin- 
ham Association  an  inquiry,  wliich  more  than  fur- 
nislies  a  hint  concerning  an  objection  not  unfrequently 
urged  at  that  time,  viz.,  •'•  I.<  it  proper  to  give  our 


248    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

support  to  foreign  missions  and  Sunday-schools 
...  by  draining  the  country  of  money  and  starv- 
ing our  own  ministry?"  The  Association  was  equal 
to  the  occasion,  and  replied  that  if  those  who  asked 
the  question  have  so  deprived  themselves  of  the 
gospel  at  home,  tbey  are  desired  to  reform  and  sup- 
port the  ministry  among  themselves.  "  But  as  far  as 
their  information  extends  the  .  .  .  ministry  is  best 
supported  in  those  places  where  the  greatest  efforts 
are  made  to  send  the  word  of  life  to  the  destitute." 

The  Maine  Baptist  Sabbath  School  Union  was 
organized  at  Topsham,  October  7,  1834.  At  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Union,  in  1835,  the  secretary 
of  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Sabbath  School  Union 
was  present,  and  laid  before  the  Society  a  plan  for  a 
Sabbath  School  Conveution  to  be  composed  of  dele- 
gates from  the  several  Sabbath  School  Unions  in 
New  England ;  and  delegates  to  the  proposed  Con- 
vention were  chosen.  It  having  been  suggested  that 
Unions  auxiliary  to  the  Maine  Union  should  be 
formed  in  each  of  the  Associations  to  hold  their 
meetings  in  connection  with  the  Associations,  it  ap- 
peared in  the  annual  report  of  the  Union,  in  1836, 
that  eight  auxiliary  Unions  had  been  formed,  viz. : 
York,  Cumberland,  Oxford,  Bowdoinham,  Waldo, 
Penobscot,  Hancock,  and  Kennebec.^  It  was  also 
stated    that    in    the    vicinity    of    Waterville    twenty 

*  The  summary  of  statistics  gave  225  schools,  1,471  teachers,  and 
10,408  scholars,  with  102  conversions. 


THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  249 

Sunday-schools  had  been  gathered  and  superintended 
by  students  in  the  college. 

The  Maine  Baptist  Sabbath  School  Union  con- 
tinued its  work  until  1854,  when  the  Union  was 
dissolved  with  the  understanding  that  the  work  of 
the  Union  should  be  assumed  by  the  Convention.  A 
tew  incomplete  statistics  were  printed  in  connection 
with  the  Minutes  until  1875.  Since  that  time  the 
blanks  furnislied  to  the  churches  have  called  for 
returns  covering  membership,  conversions,  and  money 
raised.  In  recent  years  a  Sunday-school  secretary 
has  been  appointed  in  most  of  the  Associations ;  and 
in  1893,  under  the  direction  of  the  secretary  of  the 
Convention,  Rev.  A.  T.  Dunn,  D.  D.,  Sunday-school 
Institutes  were  held  in  different  parts  of  the  State.^ 

New  Hampshire. — At  the  meeting  of  the  Baptist 
Convention  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  June 
26,  1828,  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Sabbath 
School  Union  was  organized,  and  made  auxiliary  to 
the  American  Sabbath  School  Union.  Subsequently 
branch  Unions  were  formed  in  the  Salisbury,  Mere- 
dith, Dublin,  Milford,  Newport,  and  Portsmouth 
Associations.^ 

'  There  are  at  present  (1893)  connected  with  the  Sunday- 
schools  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  Maine,  16,789  scholars,  with  an 
average  attendance  of  10,508.  During  the  Convention  year, 
1892-3,  412  of  the  scholars  were  baptized.  The  amount  of  money 
raised  by  the  schools  was  $9,579.78. 

*  The  report  of  the  State  Union,  for  1829,  showed  that  there 


250   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN    NEW   ENGLAND. 

The  annual  statistics  show  that  fi'orn  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Union  there  had  been  a  steady  and  most 
encouraging  increase.  "  We  are  sorry  to  observe," 
says  the  report  for  1835,  "  that  there  are  yet  twelve 
or  thirteen  churches  in  our  six  Associations  that  have 
not  reported  any  schools  this  year." 

The  New  England  Sabbath  School  Union  was 
organized  at  Lowell,  Mass.,  January  20,  1826,  and 
at  the  meeting  of  the  New  Hampshire  Union,  Octo- 
ber 20th  following,  it  was  voted  '•'  that  this  Union 
become  auxiliary  to  the  New  England  Sabbath 
School  Union."  But  the  desire  for  a  still  wider 
fellowship  in  Sunday-school  work  was  soon  mani- 
fested, and  at  the  meeting  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Baptist  State  Convention  in  1839,  a  resolution  was 
adopted  in  favor  of  the  organization  of  an  American 
Baptist  Sabbath  School  Union.  The  New  Hamp- 
shu-e  branch  of  the  Baptist  General  Tract  Society, 
organized  June  28,  1834,  changed  its  constitution 
October  29,  1840,  and  as  the  New  Hampshire  branch 
of  the  American  Baptist  Sunday-school  and  Publica- 
tion Society  became  connected  with  the  National 
organization.       But    a    separate    organization    soon 

were  connected  with  it  27  schools,  212  teachers,  and  1,222  scholars. 
Between  1829  and  1835,  the  schools  increased  from  27  to  91,  the 
teachers  from  212  to  857,  and  the  scholars  from  1,222  to  5,683. 
The  number  in  Bible  classes  during  the  same  years  increased 
from  170  to  1,287  ;  and  the  volumes  in  the  libraries  from  1,115  to 
10,981.  There  were  4  baptisms  reported  in  1829,  and  in  1835  the 
number  was  500. 


THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  251 

seemed  undesirable,  and  June  29,  1843,  the  State 
Convention,  by  request  of  the  New  Hampshire  So- 
ciety, took  charge  of  the  business  of  the  branch  in 
New  Hampshire.  In  1844,  the  New  Hampshire 
Baptist  Sabbath  School  Union  also  voted  to  transfer 
its  interests  to  the  New  Hampsliire  Baptist  State 
Convention. 

For  several  years  the  Convention  appointed  a  com- 
mittee on  Sunday-schools,  and  this  committee  made 
a  report  at  the  annual  meeting.  But  even  the  ap- 
pointment of  this  committee  was  at  length  discon- 
tinued. In  1854,  however,  a  committee  on  Sunday- 
schools  was  again  appointed  by  the  Convention,  and 
this  committee  in  its  report  recommended  that  a 
similar  committee  should  be  appointed  at  the  next 
anniversary;  also,  that  the  Convention  should  co- 
operate with  the  New  England  Sabbath  School 
Union.  This  committee,  in  1855,  presented  a  report, 
but  regretted  its  inability  to  furnish  any  statistics. 
It  was  suggested  in  the  following  year  that  the 
Associations  should  adopt  measures  for  securino- 
statistics  of  the  Sunday-schools,  and  that  the  statis- 
tics should  be  published  in  the  Minutes.  But  the 
statistics  were  not  forthcoming,  and  the  Convention, 
in  1S63,  appointed  a  committee  on  Sabbath  School 
Statistics.^ 

1  This  committee  attended  to  the  duty  thus  imposed,  and  the 
statistics  appeared  in  the  Minutes.  The  summary  showed  that 
there  were  connected  with  the  churches  114  Sunday-schools,  with 
823  classes,  1,016  officers  and  teachers,  and  7,514  scholars. 


252   HISTOEY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

The  committee  adds :  "  Almost  all  the  Baptist 
Sabbath  Schools  in  New  Hampshire  sustain  the 
Sabbath  School  concert.  Very  few  maintain  a 
teachers'  meeting.  In  not  more  than  one-half  the 
schools  is  there  a  collection  regularly  taken  for 
benevolent  objects."  In  1865,  the  Associations  were 
requested  to  give  their  Sunday-school  statistics  in 
their  reports  to  the  Convention. 

But  the  impression  was  evidently  deepening  that 
the  Sunday-school  interests  of  the  Baptists  of  New 
Hampshire  were  not  receiving  adequate  attention; 
and,  October  25,  1867,  the  evening  preceding  the 
meetings  of  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Convention 
at  Clareinont,  a  meeting  of  delegates  and  other  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  State  was 
held,  at  which  the  ''New  Hampshire  Baptist  Sunday- 
school  Convention"  was  organized;  and  this  separate 
organization  has  since  been  maintained.^ 

Vermont.  — The  Vermont  Baptist  Sabbath  School 
Union  was  organized  in  1829.  In  1831,  from  in- 
complete statistics,  it  was  estimated  that  there  were 
in  the  Vermont  Baptist  Sunday-schools  about  six 
thousand  scholars  and  six  hundred  and  fifty  teachers. 
In  organizing  and  visiting  schools  the  Union,  during 
1830,  had  the  services  of  Rev.  J.  Merriam,  an  agent 

1  The  Convention  has  a  statistical  secretary  who,  at  the  last 
meeting  (1893),  reported  82  schools,  1,152  officers  and  teachers, 
8,796  scholars,  with  an  average  attendance  of  5,308. 


THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  253 

of  the  American  Sabbath  School  Union.  The  Sun- 
day-school work  continued  to  prosper;  and  in  1832 
there  were  connected  with  the  Vermont  Baptist  Sabbath 
School  Union  eight  auxiliary  Unions.  During  that 
year  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  of  the  teachers  and 
scholars  connected  with  the  schools  had  made  a 
public  profession  of  religion.  The  annual  report 
of  the  Union  for  1832  (partly  estimated)  gave  the 
number  of  schools  as  one  hundred  and  fourteen,  with 
nine  hundred  and  thirty-six  teachers,  and  fiv^e  thou- 
sand six  hundred  scholars.  In  1836,  the  Vermont 
Baptist  Sabbath  School  Union  formed  an  auxiliary 
relation  with  the  New  England  Baptist  Sunday-' 
school  Union.^  At  length  it  was  deemed  best  not 
to  have  a  separate  organization  for  general  Sunday- 
school  work,  and  in  1844  the  interests  of  the  society 
were  transferred  to  the  Vermont  Baptist  Convention. 
A  Sunday-school  secretary  was  appointed,  and  in 
this  way  an  eifort  was  made  to  give  an  added  impetus 
to  Sunday-school  effort.  But  the  appointment  was 
not  continued,  and  in  1849  it  was  suggested  that  the 
Convention  should  dispense  even  with  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  usual  Sunday-school  committee,  while  in 
place  of  an  annual  report  "  a  short  essay  upon  the 
subject  of  Sabbath-schools"    should   be   read.     The 

'  In  1856,  the  financial  condition  of  the  Union  not  being  satis- 
factory, "its  entire  effects  were  bought  by  the  American  Bap- 
tist Publication  Society,"  and  the  Union  was  discontinued. 
See  "Life  of  Benjamin  Griffith,"  p.  121. 


254   HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

suggestion,  however,  seems  not  to  have  been  adopted, 
for  the  committee  on ''  Sabbath  Schools"  at  the  meeting 
of  the  Convention,  in  1850,  presented  a  report  in 
which,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  Baptists  of 
Vermont  were  not  giving  to  the  subject  the  attention 
its  importance  demanded,  it  was  admitted  that  during 
the  preceding  ten  years  there  had  been  some  little 
advance  in  interest  in  the  Sunday-school  movement. 
It  was  believed,  however,  that  there  was  a  lack  of 
organization.  "  We,  as  a  denomination,"  said  the 
committee,  "  have  no  State  or  county  organization, 
and  but  very  few  town  or  parish  societies.  The 
result  is,  we  have  no  means  of  reaching  tnose  not 
now  interested,  or  maturing  or  adopting  the  best 
modes  of  instruction."  A  committee  was  accord- 
ingly appointed  to  report  a  plan  for  a  more  thorough 
organization.  The  report  recommended  "  the  ap- 
pointment of  one  individual  from  each  Association 
to  act  as  a  Vigilance  Committee,  whose  duty  it  shall 
be  to  devise  and  carry  out  effective  measures  for  the 
promotion  of  an  increased  interest  in  all  Sabbath 
schools  in  their  respective  Associations,  and  whose 
chairman  shall  report  to  this  Convention  at  its  annual 
meetings."  Such  a  committee  was  appointed,  with 
Rev.  M.  G.  Hodge,  chairman.  In  its  report  at  the 
next  annual  meeting,  the  committee  expressed  pain  at 
"  the  proofs  which  have  been  found  almost  every- 
where that  Sunday-school  efforts  are  not  duly  appre- 
ciated."   Still,  in  some  of  the  Associations  conventions 


THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  255 

had  been  held,  and  in  one  of  the  Associations  an 
Associational  Sunday-school  Society  had  been  formed, 
with  auxiliary  societies  in  the  several  towns  in  which 
Baptist  congregations  were  to  be  found.  An  effort, 
also,  had  been  made  to  secure  such  organization  in 
other  Associations,  but  without  success.  At  the  next 
meeting  of  the  Convention,  and  until  1863,  no  refer- 
ence was  made  to  Sunday-schools.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  Convention,  in  1863,  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  attend  a  Union  State  Sabbath  School 
Convention,  and  assist  in  the  organization  if  such  a 
convention  should  be  called.  The  action  of  the 
committee  was  not  reported ;  but  June  1,  1870,  the 
Vermont  Baptist  Sunday-school  Union  was  organized 
"  to  promote  the  interests  of  Baptist  Sunday-schools 
in  the  State,  either  in  connection  with  the  churches, 
or  in  destitute  places,"  and  a  day  was  given  to  the 
consideration  of  Sunday-school  matters.  From  that 
time  an  efficient  organization  has  been  maintained, 
the  society,  in  1891,  changing  its  name  to  the  Ver- 
mont Baptist  Sunday-school  Convention.^ 

Massachusetts. — In  May,  1825,  the  Massachu- 
setts Sabbath  School  Union,  an  undenominational 
society,  composed   mainly  of  Congregationalists  and 

^  Sunday-school  statistics  have  heen  reported  in  connection 
with  the  church  statistics  since  1868.  In  1893  there  were  con- 
nected with  the  Baptist  Sunday-schools  in  Vermont  1,0G3  officers 
and  teachers,  and  8,008  scholars. 


256    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

Baptists,  was  organized  auxiliary  to  the  American 
Sunday-school  Union.  The  need  of  such  an  organi- 
zation was  apparent  if  the  Sunday-school  movement 
was  to  receive  the  attention  which  its  importance 
demanded.  At  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Conven- 
tion in  October,  1828,  attention  was  called  to  the 
fact  that  at  a  convention  held  in  Cambridge  in  Sep- 
tember preceding,  it  was  recommended  that  measures 
be  taken  to  unite  all  the  Baptist  Sunday-schools  in 
the  State  with  the  Massachusetts  Sabbath  School 
Union  ;  and  the  Convention  earnestly  and  cordially 
endorsed  this  recommendation.  From  returns  made 
to  the  Convention  in  1830,  it  appeared  that  there 
were  Sunday-schools  connected  with  most  of  the 
Baptist  churches  in  the  State,  and  that  these  were 
generally  in  a  ])rosperous  condition.  ]n  1832,  the 
Congregationalists  withdrew  from  the  Massachusetts 
Sabbath  School  Union  and  established  the  Massa- 
chusetts Sabbath  School  Society.  This  left  to  the 
Baptists  the  original  society ;  but  those  who  were 
interested  in  Sunday-school  work  soon  were  of  the 
opinion  that  a  society,  whose  field  of  operations 
should  include  the  New  England  States,  was  prefer- 
able, and  accordingly,  in  1836,  the  New  England 
Baptist  Sunday-sciiool  Union  was  organized.  The 
Massachusetts  Sabbath  School  Union,  however,  con- 
tinued its  work.^ 

1  In  the  year  1836,  it  reported  12  auxiliaries,  216  schools,  2,543 
teachers,    and   18,464  schuhirs,    of   whom   457  united    vvitli   tlie 


THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  257 

But  the  society  was  evidently  not  in  a  flourishing 
condition,  while  the  Convention  Minutes  have  no 
reference  to  the  Massachusetts  Sabbath  School  Union. 
At  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Convention,  in  1848, 
the  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools  stated  the  case 
thus :  "  The  New  England  Sunday-school  Union 
has  held  on  its  way  with  about  the  average  amount 
of  encouragement  and  success  which  had  character- 
ized it  in  former  years.  Measures  set  on  foot  at  its 
present  anniversary  seem  to  promise  happy  results 
by  the  consolidation,  union,  and  efficiency  of  such 
organizations  for  our  denomination  hereafter."  From 
tliis  time  until  1884,  all  matters  pei  taining  to  Sunday- 
school  work  in  the  State  were  left  to  the  various 
Associational  Sunday-school  organizations.  In  1884, 
however,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  Baptist 
Convention  in  Fall  River,  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  act  with  the  committee  of  arrangements  for  the 
next  meeting  in  making  preparations  for  a  meeting 
in  the  interests  of  the  Sunday-school  work  of  the 
State.  This  committee  arranged  for  a  meeting  in 
conjunction  with  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Sunday- 
school  Association.  This  Association  had  its  origin 
in  a  convention  of  the  Sunday-school  teachers  of  the 

church  during  the  year.  In  1838,  there  were  reported  250 schools, 
3,000  teachers,  and  20,000  scholars,  plainly  an  estimate.  In  1812, 
the  annual  report  of  the  New  England  Sabbath  School  Union 
gave  the  statistics  for  Massachusetts  as  follows:  198  schools,  2,815 
teachers,  22,273  scholars,  51,983  volumes  in  the  library,  and  530 
conversions. 

R 


258    HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

Boston  North  Association,  at  Watertown,  February 
18,  1885.  As  there  was  now  in  Massachusetts  no 
State  Baptist  Sunday-school  organization,  and  "an 
evident  lack  of  systematic  planning  for  tlie  forma- 
tion of  new  schools,  and  the  development  of  enthu- 
siasm by  the  concentration  and  co-operation  of 
Christian  forces,"  the  president  of  the  Convention 
was  directed  to  appoint  a  committee  to  confer  with 
the  executive  committees  of  other  Sunday-school 
conventions,  with  the  Baptist  Superintendents'  As- 
sociation, and  the  committee  appointed  by  the 
Massachusetts  Baptist  Convention.  These  various 
committees  met  in  Boston,  June  10,  1885,  and  or- 
ganized the  Association.  Its  first  meeting  was  held 
in  Worcester,  October  29,  1885.  Since  that  time 
meetings  have  been  held  each  year  in  connection  with 
the  meetings  of  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Convention. 
At  these  meetings  the  Sunday-school  work  lias  re- 
ceived deserved  attention,  statistics  concerning  the 
schools  connected  with  the  Baptist  churches  in  Massa- 
chusetts have  been  presented,  and  the  idea  has  been 
strongly  enforced  that  the  Sunday-school  mission  is 
the  feeder  to  the  Christian  church.^ 

The  Massachusetts  Baptist  Sunday-school  Asso- 
tion  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Massachu- 
setts, October  26,  1892. 

1  At  the  meeting  in  1886,  the  number  of  Baptist  Sunday- 
schools  in  tlie  State  was  given  as  315,  with  60,573  members.  The 
schools,  in  1892,  liad  increased  to  362,  and  the  members  to 68, 746. 
The  present  number  of  schools  (1893)  is  385,  with  69,832  members. 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  MOVEMENT,      259 

Rhode  Island. — At  the  meeting  of  the  Warren 
Association,  September  11,  1833,  it  was  voted,  "■  That 
the  clerks  be  instructed  to  give  a  tabular  view  of  the 
Sabbath-schools  connected  with  the  churches  in  this 
Association,  as  far  as  the  means  have  been  provided, 
and  that  all  the  churches  be  requested  to  furnish  in- 
formation upon  the  subject  at  the  next  session/' 
Thirty  schools  were  accordingly  reported,  of  which 
thirteen  were  in  Rhode  Island  and  the  rest  in  Massa- 
chusetts, the  largest  being  the  school  in  Troy,  now 
Fall  River,  whicli  reported  five  hundred  teachers  and 
scholars.  From  this  time  the  interests  of  the  Sunday- 
school  had  a  place  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Con- 
vention. In  1839,  at  the  meeting  of  the  AVarren 
Association  at  Westerly,  the  desire  was  expressed 
that  more  attention  should  be  given  to  Sunday-school 
w^ork,  and  at  a  special  meeting  of  some  of  the  friends 
of  the  proposed  movement,  it  was  voted,  "  That,  in 
the  opinion  of  this  meeting,  it  will  be  profitable  and 
expedient  to  form,  within  the  bounds  of  the  Warren 
Association,  a  Sabbath-school  Association,  to  sustain 
the  same  relation  to  Baptist  Sabbath-schools  that  tlie 
Warren  Association  does  to  the  Baptist  churches  of 
this  State."  A  committee  was  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  the  movement,  and  circulars  were  sent  to 
the  various  Sunday-schools  inviting  them  to  send 
delegates  to  a  Convention  to  be  held  in  connection 
with  the  Rhode  Island  Baptist  State  Conventi(jn, 
April  7,  1840,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  Sabbath- 


260   HISTOEY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

school  Association.  At  this  meeting  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution.  This  was 
presented  on  the  following  day,  and  "The  Rhode 
Island  Baptist  Sabbath  School  Association "  was 
organized.  At  the  organization  of  the  Association 
ten  societies,  with  a  membership  of  two  thousand 
four  hundred  teachers  and  scholars,  were  represented. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Association,  in  1842,  a  total 
of  three  thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety  teachers 
and  scholars  was  reported.  Until  1851,  the  meet- 
ings of  the  Association  were  held  in  connection  with 
the  meetings  of  the  Warren  Association.  In  1852, 
the  meeting  was  held  in  connection  with  the  State 
Convention.  Twenty-two  schools,  represented  by 
letters  and  delegates,  reported  four  thousand  one 
hundred  and  sixty-three  teachers  and  scholars.  At 
the  meeting  in  1853,  the  question  of  reorganization 
was  discussed,  and  finally  the  matter  was  referred  to 
a  committee.  The  old  organization  was  regarded  as 
no  longer  in  existence,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  State 
Convention,  in  1854,  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
prepare  a  constitution  for  the  Sabbath  School  Asso- 
ciation. A  draft  was  submitted  and  adopted,  the  new 
organization  being  known  as  "  The  Rhode  Island  Bap- 
tist Sunday-school  Convention."  There  is  no  reference 
to  the  new  organization  in  the  Convention  Minutes  for 
1855.  The  Convention  brought  the  Sunday-school 
Convention  into  existence  and  then  left  it  to  take  care 
of  itself.     This  it  has  done,  and  it  has  continued  its 


THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  261 

work,  making  its  annual  gatherings  seasons  of  quicken- 
ing and  inspiration,  and  the  means  of  imparting  new 
life  and  vigor  to  the  schools.  As  the  successor  of  "  The 
Rhode  Island  Baptist  Sabbath  School  Association," 
the  Convention,  June  4,  1890,  celebrated  its  fiftieth 
anniversary  with  a  historical  address  by  Reuben  A. 
Guild,  LL.  D.^ 

Connecticut.  —  In  accordance  with  measures 
adopted  at  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Convention  in 
1829,  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Sabbath  School  Society 
was  organized  in  1830.  An  attempt  was  soon  made 
to  secure  the  statistics  of  the  schools  connected  with 
the  Baptist  churches  in  the  State,  and  the  churches 
were  requested  to  furnish  these  to  their  respective 
Associations.^  No  statistics  were  published  in  the 
following  year,  1833.  There  was  an  annual  report, 
however,  and  in  it  was  the  noteworthy  fact  that  the 
Society  appropriated  from  its  treasury  one  hundred 
and  seven  dollars  for  the  support  of  Sunday-schools 

*  There  are  now  (1893)  connected  with  the  Convention  79 
schools,  with  14,629  officers,  teachers,  and  scholars. 

2  In  1832,  only  37  schools,  2,400  scholars,  and  413  teachers  were 
reported.  In  1838,  there  were  connected  with  the  society  63 
schools,  808  teachers,  and  4,121  scholars.  There  were  also  1,078 
in  Bible  classes. '  In  1813,  there  were  connected  with  the  Society 
90  schools,  908  teachers,  and  6,353  scholars.  In  1869,  there  were 
reports  from  119  schools  having  13,652  scholars.  The  Sunday- 
school  committee,  in  1875,  reported  138  schools,  and  17,718  mem- 
bers, with  only  four  schools  not  reported.  The  total  member- 
ship of  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Sunday-schools,  in  1893,  was 
18,603. 


262   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS    IN   HHW   ENGLAND. 

in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi.  The  Society,  in 
1836,  became  auxiliary  to  the  New  England  Sunday- 
school  Union.  In  1837,  a  Sunday-school  missionary 
was  employed  for  a  time  among  the  feeble  churches 
in  Litchfield  County.  The  number  of  conversions 
in  the  schools  during  the  year  was  one  hundred  and 
sixty-three.  New  schools  and  many  adult  Bible 
classes  were  organized.  In  order  that  the  Sunday- 
school  movement  might  receive  an  added  impulse, 
pastors  were  requested  to  preach  at  least  once  a  year 
on  Sunday-schools,  urging  their  importance  and  sug- 
gesting methods  of  improvement.  When,  in  1842, 
the  Baptist  General  Tract  Society  changed  its  name 
to  the  American  Baptist  Publication  and  Sunday- 
school  Society,  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Sabbath 
School  Society  became  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Sun- 
day-school and  Publication  Society.  But  the  work 
of  the  Society  did  not  seem  to  demand  a  separate 
organization,  and  in  1845  the  Society  voted  to  transfer 
its  interests  to  the  State  Convention.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  Convention,  in  1846,  the  secretary  was  directed 
to  secure  such  statistics  concerning  the  Baptist  Sun- 
day-schools in  the  State  as  could  be  obtained,  and 
print  the  same  in  the  Minutes.  No  such  statistics 
appeared  in  the  Minutes  that  year,  and  in  those  of 
the  following  year  appeared  the  significant  note :  "As 
only  about  twenty  churches,  out  of  more  than  one 
hundred  connected  with  the  Convention,  have  fur- 
nished  the   statistics   of  their   Sabbath-schools,   the 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   MOVEMENT.  263 

table  is  omitted."  For  many  years  all  consideration 
of  Sunday-school  work  seems  to  have  been  left  to  the 
Associational  Sunday-school  organizations.  In  1867, 
a  statistical  secretary  was  appointed  by  the  Conven- 
tion, and  in  his  work  he  included  the  statistics  of  the 
Baptist  Sunday-schools  in  the  State.  In  his  report 
for  1868,  however,  he  stated  that  his  Sunday-school 
statistics  were  imperfect.  "  We  have  probably  one 
hundred  and  thirty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  schools 
within  our  bounds,"  he  said,  "  but  we  have  even 
partial  returns  from  only  eighty-five  of  these,  report- 
ing in  the  aggregate  over  twelve  thousand  scholars. 
If  the  same  ratio  should  apply  to  all  the  schools, 
we  have  some  eighteen  to  twenty  thousand  pupils 
in  our  Connecticut  Baptist  schools."  An  added 
effort  for  better  organization  was  made  in  1872, 
when  the  Convention  appointed  a  committee  of  two 
from  each  Association  to  look  after  the  interests  of 
the  Sabbath -school  work  in  the  State,  with  libertv 
to  appoint  a  ciiairman,  secretary,  treasurer,  and  Sun- 
day-school worker,  the  committee  to  report  each  year 
the  result  of  its  work.  The  Sunday-school  worker 
was  obtained,  and  by  his  visits  to  churches  and  Asso- 
ciations added  interest  was  awakened  in  the  Sunday- 
school  movement.  The  office  of  Sunday-school 
worker,  however,  was  at  length  discontinued,  and 
the  last  report  of  the  committee  appeared  in  1878. 
After  various  suggestions  in  subsequent  years,  the 
attention  of  the  Convention,  in  1882,  was  called  to 


264    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

the  fact  that  the  Sunday-school  Conventions  of  the 
several  Associations  in  the  State  had  appointed  com- 
mittees for  a  general  conference  in  order  to  devise 
plans  and  methods,  ways  and  means,  of  prosecuting 
more  efficiently  and  systematically  the  Sunday-school 
work  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  Connecticut ;  and 
the  Conv^ention  appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with 
the  committees  already  appointed.  As  a  result  of 
this  conference  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Bible  School 
Union  was  organized  in  1883;  and  the  Convention, 
in  1884,  expressly  approved  of  the  work  of  the 
Union  during  the  year  in  gathering  statistics,  in 
securing  unity  in  statistical  reports,  and  in  stimulat- 
ing denominational  Suuday-school  work.  A  summer 
meeting  at  Crescent  Beach  now  brino-s  together  the 
Sunday-school  workers  of  the  State  in  annual  con- 
ference, in  place  of  the  meetings  formerly  held. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE     BAPTIST     WOMEN     AND     CHRISTIAN     MISSIONS. 

"POREIGN  MISSIONS.— Woman's  organized 
-L  work  in  missions  in  New  England  begins  with 
the  formation,  in  1800,  of  the  Boston  Female  Society 
for  Missionary  Purposes.  Baptists  and  Congrega- 
tionalists  were  comprised  in  its  membership,  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  raised  for  home 
mission  work  during  the  first  year  of  the  society's 
existence.  The  funds  of  this  society  were  at  first 
devoted  to  the  work  of  the  Massachusetts  Congrega- 
tional Missionary  Society ;  but  after  the  organization 
in  1802  of  the  Massachusetts  Domestic  Missionary 
Society,  the  first  organization  of  its  kind  among 
American  Baptists,  it  was  agreed  that  the  subscrip- 
tions of  each  member  of  the  society  should  be 
appropriated  to  her  own  denominational  society.  But 
there  were  women  who  contributed  directly  to  the 
work  of  the  Massachusetts  Domestic  Missionary 
Society.  The  "Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary 
Magazine  "  for  May,  1804,  contains  a  letter  from  a 
young  lady,  who  sent  to  the  missionary  society  ten 
dollars  for  missionary  work.  The  editor  adds, 
"generous  youth  !  may  your  liberality  provoke  many 
to  emulate  your  example."     Women's  m'.iv  societies 

265 


266    HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

and  kindred  organizations  soon  came  into  existence. 
In  1809,  a  Woman's  Mite  Society  in  Ciaarlestown, 
Mass.,  organized  by  women  "  who  engaged  to  pay 
one  cent  a  week  for  the  pnrpose  of  sending  mission- 
aries, who  shall  publish  the  doctrines  of  the  cross  in 
new  settlements,  and  other  places  where  the  name  of 
the  Saviour  is  hardly  known,''  sent  to  the  Massa- 
chusetts Baptist  Missionary  Society  seventy  dollars 
and  thirty-six  cents  collected  during  the  preceding  year. 
A  like  society  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  sent  to  the  same 
society  May  14,  1809,  one  hundred  and  fourteen  dol- 
lars and  twenty  cents.  The  Women's  .  Mite  Society 
at  Warren,  R.  I.,  constituted  September  26,  1808, 
sent  the  same  year  fifty-five  dollars.  The  Minutes  of 
the  Warren  Association  from  18'  '8,  for  quite  a  number 
of  years,  include  the  contributions  of  these  mite 
societies.  The  Minutes  of  the  other  Baptist  Associa- 
tions in  New  England  at  that  time  make  mention  of 
like  contributions.  In  1810,  the  Female  Cent  Society 
in  Portland,  Maine,  forwarded  to  the  Maine  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  sixteen  dollars  and  fifty  cents. 
The  Female  Donary  Society  in  North  Yarmouth  sent 
twenty  dollars  and  eighty  cents  in  the  following  year. 

In  1812,  the  first-fruits  of  the  Female  Benevolent 
Society  of  Livermore,  Maine,  where  George  Dana 
Boardman,  the  sainted  missionary,  was  born  in  1801, 
amounted  to  fourteen  dollars  and  eight  cents. 

At  first  these  contributions  were  designated  for 
home  mission  purposes  ;  but  information  concerning 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  AND  CHRISTIAN  MI-SrONS.     267 

the  work  of  foreign  missions  awakened  interest  in 
that  enterprise,  and  in  1811,  the  Boston  Female 
Society  for  Missionary  Purposes  appropriated  all  its 
subscriptions  for  the  year  "  to  the  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  carried  on  so  extensively  and  successfully 
by  the  missionaries  at  Serampore  in  Bengal." 
Especially  was  this  true  in  Baptist  churches  in  New 
England  after  Judson  entered  upon  liis  work  in 
Burma.  Women's  societies  of  various  kinds  were 
organized.  Even  "  spinning,  weaving,  and  knitting 
societies "  were  multiplied  "  with  a  view  to  aid  the 
great  object  of  sending  the  gospel  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth."  From  these  societies  year  by  year  funds 
came  into  the  treasury  of  the  various  missionary 
organizations.  An  examination  of  the  list  of  dona- 
tions published  by  these  societies  reveals  this  fact. 
But  their  number  did  not  increase  with  the  increase 
in  the  number  of  churches. 

A  new  era  with  reference  to  woman's  work  in 
missions  opened  with  the  organization  in  New  York, 
in  1861,  of  the  Woman's  Union  Missionary  Society. 
This  was  an  undenominational  society  for  the  purpose 
of  enlisting  the  interest  of  women  in  foreign  mission- 
ary work.  It  is  said  to  have  owed  its  existence  to 
the  suggestion  of  Mrs.  Mason,  a  Baptist  missionary 
in  Burma,  and  from  the  first  there  were  Baptists 
among  its  members. 

Not  long  after  came  the  suggestion  of  a  woman's 
Baptist  foreign   missionary  society  also.     Mrs.  C.  H. 


268   HISTORY   OP   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

Carpenter,  of  the  Bassein  Mission,  in  Burma,  writing 
November  23,  1870,  to  her  sister,  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Hovey,  of  Newton  Centre,  Mass.,  said  :  "  We  are 
doing  all  we  have  strength  for,  but  the  wheels  tufn 
heavily  and  we  see  the  harvest  perishing  for  the  lack 
of  reapers.  Pray  for  us.  I  am  not  sure  that  you 
yourselves  have  not  a  work  to  do  for  missions  at 
home — the  forming  of  women's  missionary  societies 
auxiliary  to  the  Missionary  Union.  I  believe  that  is 
the  true  course."  Mrs.  Hovey  mentioned  this  sug- 
gestion to  others,  prominent  among  whom  was  Mrs. 
Gardner  Colby,  who  not  only  favored  the  organization 
of  a  Woman's  Missionary  Society,  but  interested 
other  ladies  in  the  movement.  February  11,  1871,  a 
mission  circle  having  been  formed  in  the  Baptist 
church  at  Newton  Centre,  a  meeting  was  held  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  into  consideration  the  organization 
of  a  Woman's  Missionary  Society  for  the  benefit  of 
women  in  heathen  lands,  this  society  to  be  auxiliary 
to  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  It  was 
decided  to  organize  such  a  society.  The  draft  of  a 
constitution  was  prepared,  circulars  were  issued,  and 
April  3,  1871,  about  two  hundred  ladies  met  in  the 
Clarendon  Street  Baptist  Church,  Boston.  At  this 
meeting  the  proposed  constitution  was  adopted,  and 
at  an  adjourned  meeting  held  April  10,  1871,  officers 
of  the  Woman's  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
were  elected,  and  the  society  entered  upon  its  import- 
ant  work.     It   was   the   expectation   of    those   who 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  AND  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS.     269 

organized  the  society  that  its  home  field  would   be 
co-extensive  Avith  that  of  the  Missionary  Union,  but 
the  organization  of  the  Woman's  Baptist  Missionary 
Society  of  the  West,  May  9,  1871,  which  also  was 
made  auxiliary  to  the  Missionary  Union,  frustrated 
this    hope.     California    and    Oregon   societies   were 
organized   later.     Possibly  there  has  been  a  deeper 
interest  in  the  work  on  the  part  of  many  because  of 
the  local  feeling  which  in  this  way  has  been  awakened. 
The    first    missionary   sent    out    by  the  Woman's 
Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  Miss  Kate 
F.  Evans,  of  Plainsville,  Va.,  who  for  five  years  had 
been  asking  the  Missionary  Union  for  employment 
as  a  missionary.     She  sailed  for  Burma,  December 
16,  1871,  in  company  with  the  first  missionary  sent 
out  by  the  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of 
the  West.     The  first  medical  missionary  sent  out  bv 
the  society  was  Dr.  Ellen  E.  Mitchell,  who,  in  1878, 
responded  to  a  call  of  the  Board   for  this   service. 
For  eight  years  and  a  half  she  did  a  noble  service  in 
Burma,  traveling  from  place  to  place  as  her  services 
were  required.     Others  followed  her,  and  have  done 
a  like  patient,  earnest,  self-sacrificing  work.     Many 
of  the  missionaries  of  this  society  have  devoted  them- 
selves to  educational  work.     Indeed,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Rangoon  College,  the  college  at  Ongole,  and 
the    theological    institutions,    the    funds    for   schools 
have  been  furnished  by  the  women's  societies  of  the 
East   and  West.     Funds  too  have    been    i-aisod    for 


270   HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

gchool  buildings,  and  two  of  the  school  buildings  in 
Japan,  the  Sarah  Curtis  Home  at  Tokyo,  and  the 
Mary  L.  Colby  Home  at  Yokohama,  bear  familiar 
names  among  the  home  workers  of  the  society. 

A  large  number  of  native  Bible  women  are  em- 
ployed by  the  society  in  the  various  mission  fields. 
All  of  them  have  had  such  special  training  as  the 
missionaries  have  been  able  to  provide,  while  some 
of  them,  the  wives  of  the  native  preachers,  have  had 
the  theological  training  which  their  husbands  have 
secured.  The  value  of  their  services  cannot  be  over- 
estimated, as  these  women  make  their  way  from  town 
to  town,  village  to  village,  and  entering  the  homes  of 
the  people  make  known  the  glad  tidings,  opening 
and  reading  the  sacred  word.^  The  society  has  repre- 
sentatives in  Burma,  India,  Assam,  China,  Japan, 
and  Africa,  also  in  three  European  countries.  Of 
the  society's  missionaries  in  Africa,  one  represents 
the  colored  people  of  the  South,  and  is  a  fruit  of  the 
labors  of  the  Woman's  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society.^ 

1  The  whole  number  of  missionaries  supported  by  the  society 
from  its  organization  to  1893  (including  those  under  appointment 
in  April,  1893),  is  105.  In  1893,  the  society  had  58  missionaries, 
8  under  appointment,  129  Bible  women,  323  schools,  9,730  pupils, 
and  the  number  of  baptisms  reported  for  the  year  was  815. 

2  In  the  twenty-two  years  of  the  society's  work  the  receipts, 
including  donations  for  the  home  for  the  children  of  missionaries, 
is  as  follows:  1872,  ?9,172.63;  1873,  $20,158.67;  1874,  ?26,061.52; 
1875,  $29,609.89;  1876,  $33,260.69;  1877,  $35,925.09;  1878,  $39,- 
260.43;  1879,  $41,472,77;   1880,  $46,178.32;  1881,  $50,010.91 ;   1882, 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  AND  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS.     271 

The  home  for  the  children  of  missionaries  was 
established  by  the  society  at  Newton  Centre,  Mass., 
in  1880,  in  a  house  that  had  been  the  home  of  Rev. 
S.  F.  Smith,  D.  D.,  the  author  of  "  The  Morning 
Light  is  Breaking."  But  a  larger  house  was  soon 
needed,  and  a  committee  of  ladies  connected  with  the 
Board  of  the  Woman's  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  superintended  the  construction  of  a  new 
home ;  and,  in  1882,  a  tasteful  and  in  every  way 
suitable  building  was  ready  for  occupancy.  The 
enlargement  and  alteration  of  this  new  home  became 
necessary  in  1890,  and  of  the  funds  needed  for  this 
purpose  the  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars  was  con- 
tributed by  Mrs.  G^arduer  Colby.  The  home  will 
now  accommodate  twenty-five  children.  The  parents 
of  the  children  pay  for  board,  clothing,  and  all  the 
personal  expenses  of  the  children,  while  the  society 
provides  the  home,  the  services  of  the  matron,  and 
the  domestic  service.  Money  contributed  for  the 
general  work  of  the  society  is  not  appropriated  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  home,  but  this  is  wholly  pro- 
vided for  by  special  contributions. 

Nor  has  the  society  been  unmindful  of  its  workers 
abroad      Aware  of  the  need  of  physical  rest,  and  in 

56,140.40;  1883,  854,305.44;  1884,  |S0,959.50;  1885,  $65,814.70; 
1886,  $60,973.58;  1887,  $65,964.51;  1888,  $75,369.47;  1889,  $78,- 
248  91;  1890,  $101,825.68;  1891,  $104,007.28;  1892,  $93,511.13; 
1893,  $152,028.32.  The  aggregate  of  the  contributions  received 
by  the  .society  for  the  twenty-two  years  of  its  existence  is 
$1,293,207.64. 


272    HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS    IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

order  to  escape  the  penalties  of  overwork,  some  of 
the  missionaries,  qnite  a  number  of  years  ago,  secured 
as  a  sanitarium  a  tiny  cottage  at  Monmagon,  near 
Tavoy,  Burma.  In  1884,  this  cottage  needed  ex- 
tensive repairs,  and  the  Board  very  wisely  decided 
to  build  a  new  and  more  suitable  edifice.  Here  the 
weary  workers,  who  find  it  necessary  to  "  come  .  .  . 
apart  .  .  .  and  rest  awhile,"  still  have  a  home  which 
lias  been  the  succorer  of  many. 

The  first  president  of  the  society  was  jNIrs.  Mary 
L.  Colby,  of  Newton  Centre,  Mass.  Deeply  in- 
terested in  the  work  of  foreign  missions  lonar  before 
the  organization  of  the  society,  she  brought  to  its 
councils  an  earnest,  consecrated  heart,  and  for  nine- 
teen years  she  served  the  society  with  a  devotion  that 
never  flagged ;  but,  feeling  no  longer  equal  to  tiie 
responsibilities  of  the  position,  she  resigned  in  1890, 
and  was  made  honorary  president  of  the  society,  and 
also  an  honorary  member  of  the  Board  for  life.  Her 
successor  is  Miss  Sarah  C.  Durfee,  of  Providence, 
R.  I.,  who  for  nineteen  years  had  served  most  effi- 
ciently as  State  secretary  for  Rhode  Island,  and  for 
fourteen  years  as  clerk  of  the  society  and  also  of  the 
Board. 

The  first  corresponding  secretary  of  the  society 
was  Mrs.  M.  H.  Bixby,  whose  mission  service  in 
Burma  had  made  her  familiar  with  the  work  in 
heathen  lands.  In  1872,  on  account  of  failing 
health,  she  was  obliged   to   relinquish   the   position, 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  AND  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS.    273 

and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Carpenter,  formerly  connected  with 
the  Bassein  Mission  in  Burma,  and  at  whose  sugges- 
tion the  society  was  organized,  being  then  in  this 
country,  was  made  Mrs.  Bixby's  successor,  and  held 
it  until  her  return  to  Burma,  two  years  later.  Miss 
Mary  E.  Clarke,  of  Newton  Centre,  was  made  assist- 
ant secretary  in  1872 ;  and  Mrs.  Alvah  Hovey,  of 
Newton  Centre,  became  corresponding  secretary  in 
1874,  when  Mrs.  Carpenter  relinquished  the  position. 
Mrs.  Hovey  discharged  the  duties  of  her  office  with 
energy  and  fidelity  for  eleven  years ;  and  in  1883, 
when  she  retired,  Mrs.  O.  W.  Gates,  who  had  been 
made  assistant  corresponding  secretary  in  1882,  be- 
came her  successor.  In  1890,  the  duties  of  the 
corresponding  secretary  were  divided,  and  Mrs.  N. 
M.  Waterbury,  who  had  seen  missionary  service  in 
India,  was  appointed  secretary  of  the  home  depart- 
ment. Mrs.  Gates,  whose  resignation  was  relucantly 
accepted  that  year,  was  followed  as  secretary  of  the 
foreign  department  by  Mrs.  H.  G.  Safford,  who  had 
been  connected  with  the  Woman's  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society. 

The  first  treasurer  of  the  society  was  Mrs.  J. 
Warren  Merrill,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.  She  found 
it  necessary  to  resign  in  1873,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Mrs,  J.  M.  S.  Williams,  of  Cambridge,  with  Miss 
M.  E.  Clarke  as  assistant.  Mrs.  Williams  served 
the  society  faithfully  until  1879,  when,  having  been 
relieved  at  her  own  request.  Miss  Clarke  was  made 

s 


274   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

treasurer,  and  Mrs.  Williams  was  transferred  to  the 
Board. 

The  work  of  the  society  was  at  first  reported  in  "  The 
Missionary  Magazine/'  in  a  department  called  "  The 
Helping  Hand."  Two  years  later  this  department  was 
transferred  to  "  The  Macedonian."  In  four  years,  hav- 
ing become  the  property  of  the  Woman's  Society,  "  The 
Macedonian "  assumed  the  name  of  '*  The  Helping 
Hand."  In  1883,  the  publication  of  "  Little  Helpers," 
for  young  children,  was  commenced;  and  in  1887, 
"  The  Kings  Messengers  to  Heathen  Lauds,"  for 
older  boys  and  girls,  was  added.  All  of  these  pub- 
lications are  under  the  editorial  direction  of  Mrs.  C 
W.  Train.  The  society  publishes  a  monthly  letter  from 
some  one  of  its  missionaries  for  the  use  of  circles. 

Home  Missions. — The  first  Baptist  woman's  home 
mission  society  in  New  England  was  formed  in '1803, 
at  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Providence,  R.  I.,  under 
the  name  of  the  Female  Mite  Society  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church.  Its  object  was  ''  to  aid  in  sending  the 
gospel  to  the  wilds  of  Western  New  York  and  West- 
ern Pennsylvania."  Other  societies  of  like  character 
followed,  and  for  a  number  of  years  they  were  inde- 
pendent of  any  general  organization.  After  the  for- 
mation of  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary 
Society,  contributions  were  sent  to  its  treasury  to  be 
used  by  the  Board  in  "  the  frontier  settlements  of 
Vermont,  Pennsylvania,  and  elsewhere."     Later,  in 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  AND  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS.     275 

1832,  the  women  of  the  churches  sent  their  regular 
contributions  for  Home  Mission  work  through  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  So  helpful 
was  the  aid  tluis  rendered  to  this  society  that  in  18G6, 
when  the  education  of  the  freedmen  added  so  much 
to  the  work  of  the  society,  the  Board  called  upon  the 
women  in  Baptist  churelies  "■  for  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  to  aid  in  the  education  of  the  colored 
people."  This  call,  with  frequent  other  calls  from 
the  society  for  aid  in  carrying  on  its  work  among  the 
freedmtu,  led  to  the  organization  of  the  Woman's 
Home  Mission  Society  of  Michigan,  in  1873.  In 
February,  1877,  occurred  the  organization  of  the 
Women's  Home  Mission  Society,  with  headquarters 
in  Chicago;  and  this  was  followed  November  14, 
1877,  by  the  organization  of  the  Woman's  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  with  headquarters  in 
Boston.  A  constitution  was  adopted  and  officers 
were  chosen.  The  second  article  of  the  constitution 
reads  :  "  The  leading  object  of  this  society  shall  be 
the  evangelization  of  the  women  among  the  freed 
people,  the  Indians,  the  heathen  immigrants,  and  the 
new  settlements  of  the  West." 

An  effort  was  made  in  the  beginning  to  unite  these 
societies  so  that  there  should  be  only  one  national 
Home  Mission  Society.  This  effort  was  unsuccessful, 
and  the  territorial  and  working  relations  of  each 
society  to  the  other  were  defined,  and  they  continued 
their  separate  organizations.     Tiie  societv  with  head- 


276    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

quarters  at  Boston  was  to  engage  in  educational  work, 
co-operating  with  "  The  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society,"  and  with  New  England  as  its  terri- 
tory. The  society  with  headquarters  at  Chicago  was 
independent  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society.  The  first  year's  work  of  the  Boston  society 
was  mostly  among  the  freedmen  and  Indians.  The 
first  teachers  sent  directly  to  the  field  were  Mrs. 
Kelly  and  Miss  Champney,  to  whom  in  1878  work 
was  assigned  in  the  Indian  Territory.  In  the  early 
history  of  the  society  several  churches  would  unite  in 
the  support  of  a  teacher,  but  as  the  years  passed  this 
was  less  frequently  done,  and  money  was  sent  directly 
to  the  treasury  without  designating  for  whom  or  in 
what  way  it  should  be  used. 

In  1881,  in  answer  to  an  urgent  appeal  for  Chris- 
tian teachers  from  Mr.  Quarles,  a  colored  minister  of 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  Miss  S.  B.  Packard  and  Miss  H.  E. 
Giles  went  to  that  city  under  direction  of  the  Board, 
"to  engage  in  whatever  educational  work  their  judg- 
ment should  dictate."  Amid  discouragements  that 
would  have  daunted  less  courageous  hearts,  they  laid 
the  foundation  of  Spelmau  Seminary.  The  school 
began  its  existence  in  the  damp,  gloomy  vestry  of  a 
church.  At  the  present  time  its  beautiful  buildings, 
and  its  complete  equipment  for  educational  work,  are 
the  admiration  of  all  who  visit  the  institution. 
Much  of  its  material  prosperity  is  due  to  the  munifi- 
cence of  Mr.  John  D.   Rockefeller.     The  uplifting 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  AND  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS.    277 

influence  of  this  seminary  is  felt  throughout  the  South 
and  in  foreign  lands,  while  the  names  of  S.  B.  Pack- 
ard and  H.  E.  Giles  are  written  upon  the  hearts  and 
in  the  lives  of  thousands  of  colored  girls  who  have 
enjoyed  the  advantages  of  Spelman  Seminary.  A 
missionary  training  department  has  recently  been 
added  to  the  other  departments  in  the  seminary, 
with  the  purpose  of  preparing  young  colored  women 
to  do  efficient  missionary  work  among  their  own 
people. 

During  the  sixteen  years  of  its  existence,  the 
Woman's  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society 
has  supported  teachers  among  the  Mormons,  freed- 
men,  Indians,  Chinese,  Mexicans,  Alaskans,  and 
others.  The  number  of  teachers  from  five  in  the  first 
year  of  the  society's  history,  has  increased  to  fifty- 
eight.  The  society  has  contributed  largely  for  the 
erection  of  school  buildings  at  Spelman,  in  tlie  city 
of  Mexico,  and  at  Salt  Lake,  and  has  generously 
aided  others,  and  supported  many  beneficiaries  in 
these  schools.  Some  missionary  work  at  length  was 
done  in  Alaska,  but  the  members  of  the  Board  were 
fully  convinced  that  to  do  the  best  service  among  the 
Alaskans  an  orphanage  was  needed  as  a  home  for  the 
cliildren  for  whom  no  one  seemed  to  care.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1891,  the  Board  voted  to  erect  such  a  home  at  a 
cost  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  orphanage  has 
been  completed  and  the  society  has  a  well  finished 
and   furnished   building,  and   the  institution  has  been 


278   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN    NEW   E.N'GLAND. 

placed  in  the  hands  of  two  teachers  who  have  entered 
upon  their  work. 

An  urgent  call  for  a  paper  to  give  information  con- 
cerning the  work  of  the  society,  resulted  in  a  vote  of 
the  Board  in  February,  1885,  that  such  a  paper 
should  be  published.  It  was  entitled  "  The  Home 
Mission  Echo,"  and  was  placed  under  the  editorial 
management  of  the  vice-president  of  the  society,  Mrs. 
Anna  S.  Hunt,  of  Augusta,  Maine,  and  has  been 
very  helpful  in  developing  added  interest  in  the 
society's  work. 

The  first  president  of  the  society  was  Mrs.  J.  Ban- 
vard,  of  Neponset,  Mass.,  who  filled  the  office  from 
November,  1877,  till  May,  1881,  when  the  pressure 
of  home  duties  compelled  her  to  resign.  Mrs. 
Thomas  Nickerson,  of  Newton  Centre,  who  was 
prominent  in  the  organization  of  the  society,  was 
then  elected  president,  and  held  the  office  until  May, 
1890,  when  ill  health  compelled  her  to  resign.  For 
twelve  years  Mrs.  Nickerson  faithfully  and  lovingly 
served  the  society,  three  years  as  chairman  of  the 
Executive  Board,  and  nine  years  as  president  of  the 
society  and  chairman  of  the  Board.  Under  her  wise 
and  careful  administration  the  work  of  the  society 
was  greatly  enlarged,  and  in  1888,  the  charter  was  so 
amended  as  to  include  all  parts  of  North  America. 
Mrs.  Nickerson  was  made  honorary  president  of  the 
society,  and  an  honorary  member  of  the  Board  for 
life ;   and    from    the   time   of  her    resignation   until 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  AND  CHRISTIAN  MISfJiONS.     279 

her  death,  July,  1891,  her  interest  was  undimin- 
ished. 

In  December  1890,  she  was  succeeded  in  the  presi- 
dency by  Mrs.  Alice  B.  Coleman,  of  Boston,  who  for 
a  number  of  years  had  been  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Board  and  a  leader  in  all  of  the  society's  work. 

At  the  organization  of  the  society  Mrs.  Nickerson 
was  elected  corresponding  secretary,  but  was  com- 
pelled almost  immediately  to  resign,  and  Miss  S.  B. 
Packard,  of  Boston,  was  elected  in  her  place.  She 
held  the  position  until  1881,  when  she  entered  upon 
her  work  at  Atlanta.  Mrs.  F.  S.  Hesseltine,  of  Mel- 
rose, Mass.,  was  made  her  successor,  but  was  com- 
pelled to  resign  on  account  of  ill  health.  Mrs. 
Andrew  Pollard  was  then  elected  and  held  the  posi- 
tion from  1882,  until  June,  1886,  when  her  health 
compelled  her  to  relinquish  the  work.  In  September, 
1886,  Mrs.  M.  C.  Reynolds,  of  Wallingford,  Conn., 
became  her  successor. 

The  first  treasurer  was  Mrs.  Pollard,  and  in  1882, 
when  she  became  secretary,  the  two  offices  were 
united,  and  so  remained  until  her  resignation  in  1886. 
The  work  was  then  divided,  and  Miss  Margaret 
McWhinnie,  of  Waterbury,  Conn.,  was  appointed 
treasurer.  Faithfully  she  served  in  this  position  until 
compelled  by  ill  health  to  resign,  and  was  succeeded 
in  December,  1890,  by  Miss  Alice  E.  Stedman,  of 
Cambridge,  Mass.  In  June,  1893,  Mrs.  James 
McWhinnie,  of  Cambridge,  a   member  of  the  Board 


280   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS  IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

for    nine   years,    was    appointed   superintendent   of 
Alaskan  work  and  general  assistant  of  the  society.^ 

^The  receipts  of  the  Society  since  its  organization  have  been  as 
follows:  First  year,  $1,533.62;  second  and  one-half  year, 
$5,487.39;  third  year,  3,629.47;  fourth  year,  $6,097.82;  fifth  year, 
$9,851.84;  sixth  year,  $20,270.08;  seventh  year,  $16,437.23;  eighth 
year,  $24,017.28;  ninth  year,  $23,573.41;  tenth  year,  $27,199.94 ; 
eleventh  year,  $28,346.30;  twelfth  year,  $24,034.30;  thirteenth 
year,  $38,436.99;  fourteenth  year,  $28,431.15;  fourteenth  year 
(for  Alaska),  $4,179.05;  fifteenth  year,  $38,099.72;  fifteenth  year 
(for  Alaska),  $3,709.74;  total,  $303,335.33. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

SOME  WAYMAEKS   IN   BAPTIST   HISTORY. 

11/1  R.  BACKUS,  a  hundred  years  ago,  referring  to 
-l-*-L  the  doctrinal  position  of  tlie  Baptist  churches 
in  New  England,  said  that  their  faith  and  practice 
came  the  nearest  to  that  of  the  founders  of  New  Eno-- 
land  "  of  any  churches  now  in  the  land  "  ;  and  he 
mentioned  fourteen  points  of  their  belief  The 
second  and  third  are  these  :  "  That  in  infinite  mercy 
the  eternal  Father  gave  a  certain  number  of  the  chil- 
dren of  men  to  his  beloved  Son,  before  the  world  was, 
to  redeem  and  save  :  and  that  he,  by  his  obedience  and 
suiferings,  has  procured  eternal  redemption  for  them. 
That  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  these  per- 
sons individually,  as  they  come  into  existence  are 
effectually  called  in  time,  and  savingly  renewed  in  the 
spirit  of  their  minds."  This  declaration  was  in  har- 
mony with  the  declaration  of  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  which  as  the  London  Baptist  Con- 
fession of  1689,  an  adaptation  of  the  Westminster 
Confession  for  use  in  Baptist  churches,  was  generally 
recognized  a?  an  approved  standard  of  Baptist  belief. 
But  the  preaching  of  Wliitefield  and  others  during 
the  great  revival  and  subsequently,  had  made  promi- 
nent  the  universality  of  the  atonement   of  Christ ; 

281 


282    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS   IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

and  there  were  those  in  Baptist  churches  who  had 
been  powerfully  influenced  by  these  views.  Benjamin 
Randall,  the  founder  of  the  Freewill  Baptist  denomi- 
nation, was  of  this  number.  At  first  a  Congregation- 
alist,  he  became  at  length  a  Baptist,  and  was  baptized 
by  Bev.  William  Hooper  at  Berwick,  Maine,  August 
14,  1776,  on  the  day  of  Mr.  Hooper's  ordination. 
Not  long  after  he  began  to  preach,  and  in  his  preach- 
ing he  invited  sinners  to  accept  offered  pardon,  God 
being  unwilling  "that  any  should  perish."  Men 
might  reject  his  message,  but  it  was  because  of  the 
unwillingness  of  their  hearts  to  accept  Christ  as  their 
Saviour,  and  not  because  of  any  insufficiency  ni  the 
provisions  of  the  everlasting  gospel  which  he  had 
received. 

In  this  he  supposed  he  was  in  agreement  with  his 
Baptist  brethren.  Calvinism  and  Arminianism  he 
had  never  heard  discussed.  "  As  the  doctrine  of  Cal- 
vin had  not  been  in  dispute  among  us,"  he  once  said, 
*•  I  had  not  considered  whether  I  believed  it  or  not. 
But  as  the  Lord  had  shown  me  a  universal  atonement 
and  fullness  enough  in  Christ  for  all  men — the 
appearance  of  grace  to  all  men — that  the  call  of  the 
gospel  was  to  all,  and  that  God  was  not  willing  that 
any  should  perish — that  same  love  constrained  me  to 
go  forth,  and  call  upon  all  to  come  to  Christ  and  be 
saved  ! " 

Early  in  1779,  Mr.  Randall  was  asked  in  a  public 
assembly  bv   one  of  his   brethren   whv   he  did    not 


FOME    WAYMARKS   IN   BAPTIST   HISTORY.      283 

preach  the  doctrine  of  election  as  Calvin  held  it.  A 
discussion  followed,  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  a 
movement  which  resulted  at  length  in  Mr.  Randall's 
withdrawal  from  the  Baptist  denomination,  and  also 
in  the  withdrawal  of  tliose  who  were  in  acrreeraent 
with  him.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  however,  that  there 
was  in  Mr.  Eandall's  case  no  other  compulsion  than 
a  feeling  on  his  part  that  to  him  withdrawal  Avas  the 
path  of  duty.  Mr.  Randall  was  not  disfellowshiped 
by  the  church  wn'th  which  he  was  connected.  "  I 
applied  to  the  church  to  which  I  belonged  for  a  dis- 
mission," he  says,  "  but  they  would  never  grant  it. 
Neither  was  there  ever  a  committee  appointed  by  the 
church  to  labor  with  me  that  ever  I  knew  of;  and  so 
they  let  me  alone."  In  fact,  Mr.  Randall,  at  the  out- 
set, and  for  some  time  even,  had  no  thought  of  found- 
ing a  new  denomination.  In  organizing  a  church  at 
New  Durham,  N.  H.,  he  and  his  brethren  organized 
what  tliey  called  a  Baptist  church.  Other  churches 
were  constituted  holding  similar  views.  The  breach 
between  these  churches  and  regular  Baptist  churches 
gradually  widened,  and  the  lines  at  length  were  firmly 
drawn. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  discussions  that 
attended  the  beginnings  of  the  Freewill  Baptist  move- 
ment modified  in  some  degree  the  views  of  Baptists 
in  those  parts  of  New  England  where  the  Freewill 
Baptists  were  most  numerous.  More  powerful  in 
New  England   generally,  however,  was  the   influence 


284    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS   IN    NEW    ENGLAND. 

of  Andrew  Fuller,  the  gifted  pastor  at  Kettering, 
England,  who  in  1785,  in  opposition  to  the  hyper- 
Calvinistic  views  of  many  of  his  brethren,  published 
bis  "Gospel  Worthy  of  All  Acceptation.''  A  con- 
flict followed  in  which  Fuller  bore  a  heroic  part. 
His  "  Calvinistic  and  Socinian  Systems  Examined  and 
Compared,"  and  his  "  Gospel  its  own  Witness,"  were 
powerful  instruments  in  modifying  the  extreme  views 
that  had  hitherto  been  held  by  Baptists  in  England, 
These  writings  found  their  way  into  New  England, 
and  aided  in  bringing  about  a  like  result  there. 

But  as  to  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  grace  the 
Baptists  of  New  England  were  immovable.  In  the 
great  Unitarian  apostasy  many  in  the  Puritan 
churches  were  swept  away,  but  the  Baptists  were 
uninfluenced  by  this  movement  except  as  they  received 
help  from  it  because  of  their  steadfastness. 

When  Judson's  change  of  views  proved  a  trumpet 
call  for  American  Baptists  to  engage  in  mission  work, 
the  Baptists  in  New  England  were  ready  for  a  prompt 
and  hearty  response.  The  hyper-Calvin ists  had  no 
ear  for  that  call.  Anti-mission  Baptists,  they  had  no 
message  for  the  heathen  nations,  and  they  would  do 
nothing  for  those  who  had.  But  happily  now  they 
were  few  in  number,  and  their  constantly  lessening 
influence  was  no  hindrance  to  the  enthusiastic  efforts 
of  the  great  body  of  New  England  Baptists  in  behalf 
of  missions. 

At  length,  however,  it  was  deemed   best  that  the 


SOME   WAY-MARKS    IN    BAPTIST   HISTORY.      285 

doctrinal  belief  of  the  churches  should  have  a  better 
expression  than  was  presented  by  the  Philadelphia 
Confession.  Attention  was  called  to  the  matter  in 
the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  State  Convention  at  the 
meeting  in  Concord,  June  24,  1830,  and  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  prepare  a  "Declaration  of  Faith 
and  Practice,  together  with  a  Covenant,"  and  to  pre- 
sent the  same  at  the  next  annual  meeting.  At  that 
meeting  the  committee  reported  that  some  progress 
had  been  made  in  tlie  work,  but  the  committee  at  its 
own  request  was  discharged,  and  one  of  the  committee, 
Rev.  Ira  Pearson,  was  appointed  to  complete  the 
work.  His  report  was  presented  June  26,  1832,  and 
referred  to  a  committee  of  three,  together  with  the 
author.  This  committee  reported  in  favor  of  adopt- 
ing the  articles  with  slight  alterations,  but  after  dis- 
cussion voted  to  refer  them  to  the  Board.  The  Board 
referred  them  to  Rev.  Baron  Stow,  and  Rev.  John 
Newton  Brown,  for  revision.  In  October,  1832,  Mr. 
Brown  presented  the  revised  articles,  and  after  their 
consideration,  the  work  of  the  committee  was  accepted, 
and  Mr.  Brown  was  requested  to  prepare  a  copy  of 
the  articles,  including  such  alterations  as  had  been 
suggested  by  the  Board.  Still  further  amendments 
were  adopted  at  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Board. 
The  amended  copy  then  received  the  unanimous 
approval  of  the  Board,  and  was  recommended  to  the 
churches  of  the  State.  The  probabilities  are  that  tlie 
work  was  very  largely  that  of  Mr.  Brown.     In  1853, 


286    HISTORY    OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

ia  a  republication  of  the  Declaration  and  Covenant, 
*'  with  such  revision  as  on  mature  reflection  he  deems 
called  for,  after  the  lapse  of  twenty  years,"  and 
supplying  two  new  articles,  one  on  repentance  and 
faith,  and  the  other  on  sanctification,  Mr.  Brown 
announced  himself  as  the  author  of  the  original 
publication.^ 

In  general  the  Baptist  churches  in  New  England 
have  found  that  the  New  Hampshire  articles  of  faith 
are  an  adequate  expression  of  the  body  of  doctrines 
held  by  them.  There  have  been  individuals,  in  some 
instances  prominent  ministers,  who  have  believed, 
thought,  and  practised,  in  some  respects  contrary  to 
the  common  faith.  Some  churches  have  been  led  to 
place  themselves,  at  least  for  a  while,  in  opposition  to 
the  general  belief.  But  the  denomination  has  been 
wise  in  its  action  in  such  cases.  When  possible  it 
has  allowed  dissent  and  dissenters  to  remain  within 
it.  "  To  attempt  the  contrary  would  be  to  fail  in  the 
design  of  the  attempt,  and  to  accomplish  its  opposite. 
A  break  or  schism  has  taken  place  only  when  dissent 
has  so  made  issue  with  the  denomination,  that,  with- 
out the  break,  the  doctrine  of  the  dissent  must  be 
endorsed.     As  a  church  is  manifestly  not  responsible 

for  all  the  sentiments,  principles,  or  practices  of  all 

^ b . 

^Kev.  "William  Hurlin  on  "  The  Circumstances  Attending  the 
Formation  of  the  New  Hampshire  Confession  of  Faith." — Min- 
utes of  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Anniversaries,  1891,  pp. 
64-56. 


SOME    VVAYMARKS   IN    BAPTIST   HISTORY.       287 

its  members ;  aiid  does  not  endorse  and  maintain  all 
those  sentiments,  principles,  and  practices  as  of  God  ; 
and  hence  is  not  called  to  withdraw  from  every  imper- 
fect member,  and  thus  annihilate  itself;  so  has  the 
Baptist  denomination,  like  every  other  religious 
community,  properly  retained,  and  thus  far  fellow- 
shiped  those  holding  doctrines  contrary  to  the  com- 
mon faith.  It  has  always  done  this,  and  this  it 
must  and  will  do  always.  Not  to  do  it  is  dissolu- 
tion sudden  and  complete.  But  to  claim  this  reten- 
tion and  fellowship  of  dissentients  as  an  endorsement 
of  their  doctrines,  and  as  constituting  them  Baptist 
doctrines,  is  a  confusion.  An  issue  may  be  so  made  up 
that  the  denomination  must  either  accept  the  dissent 
or  separate  from  the  dissenters.  Separate  then  it 
must,  or  deny  itself.  Such  has  been  its  practice 
hitherto.  It  has  thus  far  stood  together  in  doctrine  a 
compact  body."  ^ 

During  the  century  the  proportion  of  educated 
ministers  in  the  Baptist  churches  of  New  England 
has  greatly  increased,  and  is  now  very  large.  "  Re- 
nouncing their  preference  for  '  lowly  preaching,'  they 
have  become  zealous  promoters  of  ministerial  educa- 
tion ;  among  their  divines  are  men  whose  names  are 
ornaments  of  American  scholarship,  but  it  is  a  notice- 
able fact  that  their  valuable  contributions  to  religious 
literature  have  all  been  in  the  line  of  biblical  exe- 


iKev.  G.   D.   B.  Pepper,  D.  D.,  "Baptists  and  the  National 
Centenary,"  pp.  55,  56. 


288    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

gesis."^  Brown  University,  Colby  University,  and 
Newton  Theological  Institution  have  done  a  great 
service  in  securing  this  result.  All  honor,  however, 
to  tlie  fathers  who,  with  less  advantages,  wrought  so 
nobly  in  laying  the  foundations  of  so  many  of  the 
New  England  ciuirches  !  Not  a  few  of  them,  though 
destitute  of  the  training  of  the  schools,  were  highly 
educated  men.  They  made  the  best  of  the  opportu- 
nities that  were  theirs.  But  unquestionably,  with  the 
extension  and  diffusion  of  knowledge,  and  the  in- 
creased facilities  for  acquiring  an  education,  the 
ministry  in  the  Baptist  churches  of  New  England 
has  made  that  progress  which  the  general  advance 
in  intelligence  has  demanded.  Some  of  the  older 
ministers  have  called  attention  to  a  change  in  the 
preaching  in  the  Baptist  churches.  Dr.  Benedict,  in 
his  "  Fifty  Years  Among  tlie  Baptists,"  referring  to 
the  earlier  part  of  the  century,  said  :  "  Then,  and 
with  our  orthodox  Baptists,  a  sermon  would  have 
been  accounted  altogether  defective  which  did  not 
touch  upon  election,  total  depravity,  final  persever- 
ance, etc."  Certainly  this  would  not  now  be  a  defect. 
The  doctrines  are  still  lield,  but  "  thought  and  study 
have  extended  knowledge,  both  sacred  and  secular, 
into  many  a  new  field,  and  along  many  a  new  line, 
far  beyond  the  boundaries  which  shut  it  in  a  hundred 
years  ago,  and  our  facilities  of  communication  have 

1  Prof.  J.  L.  Diman,  "  Religion  in  America,  1776-1876,"  North 
American  Review,  1876,  p.  28. 


SOME    WAYMAKKS    IN    BAPTIST    HISTORY.       289 

brought  this  knowledge  more  or  less  closely  and  fully 
to  all  the  people.  Thus  is  life  more  complex,  the 
universe  more  vast.  Hence  has  arisen  a  necessity  for 
that  wider  range  of  doctrinal  view  and  discussion 
which  we  see  realized."  *  We  have  not  a  new  the- 
ology, but  the  old  theology  adapted  to  the  present 
needs  of  men.  The  fact  that  Baptists  find  their  doc- 
trinal basis  in  the  Bible,  and  not  in  a  creed,  holds 
them  fast  to  sound  doctrine,  although  in  their  preach- 
ing the  emphasis  on  certain  doctrines  may  be  different 
at  different  times. 

Upon  all  the  great  moral  questions  agitating  the 
people,  the  Baptists  of  New  England  have  given 
abundant  expression  to  their  convictions.  Concern- 
ing temperance  a  voice  was  raised  early  in  the  present 
century.  In  1806,  Rev.  John  Tripp,  in  the  circular 
letter  of  the  Bowdoinham  Association,  District  of 
Maine,  referred  to  excessive  drinking  as  a  "  habit 
which  prevails  to  the  utter  ruin  of  many  and  the 
injury  of  millions";  and  he  added,  alluding  to  the 
young,  "  shall  we  teach  them  to  be  sober  and  tem- 
perate and  not  be  so  ourselves?  "  In  the  Minutes  of 
the  same  Association,  in  1824,  is  the  following  note  : 
"  We  have  learned  with  much  pleasure  that  the  in- 
habitants of  Jay  voted  in  town  meeting  that  no  spir- 
ituous liquors  should  be  sold  around  the  meeting- 
house during  the  session  of  the  Association,  and  that 

1  Rev.  G.  D.  B.  Pepper,  D.  D.,  "Baptists  and  the  National 
Centenary,"  p.  57. 

T 


290   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

persons  were  appointed  to  carry  this  vote  into  effect." 
A  little  later  we  begin  to  hear  of  total  abstinence,  and 
at  length  of  measures  for  the  entire  suppression  of  the 
liquor  traffic.  In  many  of  the  churches  temperance 
societies  were  formed,  and  efforts  were  made  to  in- 
struct the  young  in  sound  temperance  principles. 
Baptist  Associations  and  State  Conventions  also,  year 
by  year  as  the  movement  went  on,  placed  on  record 
their  unalterable  convictions  concerning  the  evils  of 
intemperance,  and  their  purpose  to  do  everything  in 
their  power  to  educate  the  public  with  reference  to 
these  evils,  and  to  use  all  lawful  means  for  the  de- 
struction of  the  liquor  traffic  throughout  the  land. 

Slavery  also,  as  it  existed  in  the  Southern  States, 
early  attracted  attention  in  the  Baptist  churches  of 
New  England.  First,  there  were  effi^rts  made  to  aid 
the  Colonization  Society;  and  then,  not  long  after 
1830,  the  immediate  abolition  of  slavery  was  urged. 
It  was  not  forgotten  that  a  large  portion  of  the  Chris- 
tian communitv  in  the  slave-^holding  States  belonged 
to  Baptist  churches,  and  that  these,  our  brethren,  re- 
garded it  as  a  duty  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  promote 
the  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  of  their  slaves ; 
but  none  the  less  earnestly  did  the  various  Associa- 
tions and  State  Conventions  and  Anti-slavery  societies 
declare  their  opposition  to  slavery,  and  especially  to 
the  effort  which  at  length  was  made  to  extend  its 
domain  into  free  territory.  When  the  Civil  War 
opened,  the  hand  of  God   was  recognized   in  it,  and 


SOME   WAYMARKS   IN   BAPTIST   HISTORY.      291 

from  time  to  time  throughout  the  war  resolutions  were 
adopted  expressing  an  unshaken  confidence  in  the  ulti- 
mate triumph  of  the  National  arms  and  the  overthrow 
of  slavery.  These  ends  having  been  secured,  the 
duty  of  the  churches  with  reference  to  the  emanci- 
pated race  was  at  once  recognized,  and  organized 
efforts  in  behalf  of  the  freedmen  received  hearty 
support.  While  the  churches  were  considering  the 
evils  of  slavery,  the  memorable  discussion  between 
President  Wayland,  of  Brown  University,  and  Rev. 
Dr.  Richard  Fuller,  of  South  Carolina,  occurred. 
Dr.  Wayland  represented  the  intense  convictions,  not 
only  of  the  Baptists  of  New  England,  but  through- 
out the  North ;  while  Dr.  Fuller  spoke  for  his  breth- 
ren in  the  South.  It  was  a  discussion  which  was 
characterized  by  the  Christian  spirit  of  the  disputants, 
as  well  as  by  the  ability  with  which  the  argument  was 
maintained. 

With  the  advance  of  the  century,  more  attention 
has  been  paid  to  the  social  life  of  the  Baptist  churches 
in  New  England.  The  aim  has  been  to  bring  to- 
gether the  members  of  the  churches  and  those  wor- 
shiping with  them,  and  so  to  make  use  of  social  in- 
fluences in  promoting  the  work  of  the  church.  To 
these  purely  social  gatherings  the  Social  Union  has 
been  added,  an  organization  not  only  to  promote  good 
fellowship  on  the  part  of  the  members  of  neighboring 
churches,  but  to  interest  them  in  the  various  enter- 
prises in  which  the  denomination  is  engaged.     The 


292   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

Boston  Baptist  Social  Union,  instituted  in  1864,  was 
the  first  of  these  organizations.  It  owed  its  origin  to 
the  suggestion  of  the  late  Hon.  J.  M.  S.  Williams, 
of  Cambridge,  and  when  instituted  had  an  enroll-- 
raent  of  forty-six  members.  At  the  meeting  pre- 
liminary to  organization,  Hon.  James  H.  Duncan,  of 
Haverhill,  was  present,  and  Hon.  Isaac  Davis,  of 
Worcester,  presided.  One  of  the  questions  before 
this  meeting  had  reference  to  the  name  which  the 
new  organization  should  bear.  The  decision  was  not 
an  easy  one ;  and,  as  the  company  was  about  to 
separate  without  agreeing  upon  a  name,  the  late  Mr. 
Benjamin  F.  Brooks  said,  "Let  us  call  it  a  Social 
Union."  The  suggestion  was  adopted.  The  Lite 
Hon.  J.  Warren  Merrill  was  its  first  president,  and 
he  has  had  a  long  line  of  worthy  successors.  The 
Union  has  now  about  three  hundred  members,  who 
meet  monthly.  After  a  collation,  vital  questions  are 
presented  for  consideration,  questions  concerning  edu- 
cation, missions,  church  extension,  and  whatever  per- 
tains to  the  general  welfare  of  Baptist  churches ;  and 
practical  results  have  followed.  The  Boston  Baptist 
Social  Union  has  had  a  powerful  influence  in  advanc- 
ing Baptist  interests  in  New  England,  and  is  making 
that  influence  felt  with  added  force  year  by  year. 

Not  only  have  other  Social  Unions  been  formed 
among  the  Baptists  of  New  England,  as  in  Spring- 
field, Worcester,  Salem,  Mass.;  Hartford  and  Nor- 
wich, Conn. ;  Providence,  R.  I. ;  and  Portland,  Me. ; 


SOJTE    WAYMARKS    IN    BAPTIST    HISTORY.       293 

but  by  Baptists  outside  of  New  England.  Congre- 
gationalists,  Methodists,  and  Episcopalians  also  have 
adopted  the  idea  and  established  flourishing  organiza- 
tions upon  the  same  plan. 

In  the  Young  People's  movement,  everywhere  now 
so  prominent,  the  Baptists  of  New  England  have  had 
a  part.  Young  people's  societies  half  a  century  ago 
were  known  by  various  names.  In  connection  with 
the  Christian  Endeavor  movement,  commencing  in 
1881,  many  Christian  Endeavor  Societies  were  or- 
ganize! in  New  England  Baptist  churches.  But  sub- 
sequently it  was  felt  by  many  that  there  would  be 
a  gain  to  all  the  work  in  which  as  Baptists  we  are 
engaged  if  in  these  societies  more  was  made  of  those 
principles  for  which  as  Baptists  we  stand.  At 
the  Baptist  Anniversaries  in  Chicago,  in  May,  1890, 
a  meeting  was  held  to  consider  the  question  of  organ- 
izing Baptist  young  people's  societies.  Such  societies 
w^ere  soon  formed  in  some  of  the  Western  States,  and 
in  July,  1891,  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  of 
America  was  organized — a  Union  designed  to  embrace 
societies  of  young  people  of  every  name  connected 
with  Baptist  churciies.  Stare  Unions  have  since  been 
formed  in  most  of  the  New  England  States,  and 
doubtless  such  Unions  will  soon  be  formed  in  all  of 
the  New  England  States. 

The  Depository  of  the  American  Baptist  Publica- 
tion Society,  for  Sunday-school  and  other  publications, 
was  established  in  Boston,  February  17,  1870.     Al- 


294   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

ready  the  society  had  depositories  in  New  York,  St. 
Louis,  and  Chicago.  The  Boston  Depository  was 
opened  in  Tremont  Temple,  and  there  it  remained 
until  the  fire  in  1879,  when  it  was  compelled  to  seek 
quarters  elsewhere.  In  the  reconstruction  of  the 
Temple,  it  was  found  impossible  for  the  depository 
to  secure  adequate  accommodations,  and  permanent 
quarters  were  obtained  at  256  Washington  Street, 
where  the  business  of  the  Boston  branch  of  the  Pub- 
lication Society  has  since  been  transacted. 

The  first  depositary  of  the  Society  in  Boston  was 
Mr.  Howard  Gannett.  The  business  of  the  branch 
naturally  was  not  very  large  at  the  first,  but  the  in- 
crease was  steady.  Mr.  George  H.  Springer  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Gannett,  and  under  his  direction  the 
business  has  grown  to  large  proportions.  The  Bap- 
tists of  New  England  find  at  the  depository  denomi- 
national literature,  including  hymn  books,  Sunday- 
school  library  books,  lesson  helps,  tracts,  etc.,  and  the 
general  trade  also  is  quite  extensive. 

At  the  rooms  of  the  Boston  branch  house  is  the 
office  of  the  New  England  District  Secretary,  Rev. 
Charles  H.  Spalding,  whose  work  it  is  to  promote 
the  interests  of  the  Bible  and  missionary  departments 
of  tlie  Publication  Society  in  his  district.  Mr.  Spald- 
ing was  appointed  district  secretary  in  October,  1886, 
and  makes  the  position  exceedingly  helpful  to  the 
Baptist  churches  in  New  England.  His  predecessors 
were  Rev.  William  C.  Child,  D,  D.,  and  Rev.  Andrew 
Pollard,  D.  D. 


SOME   WAYMARKS   IN   BAPTIST   HISTORY.      295 

The  Baptist  press  in  New  England  has  had  no 
unimportant  part  in  the  development  of  the  many 
Baptist  interests  in  the  New  England  States,  and 
especially  in  the  development  of  intelligent  Christian 
character  in  Baptist  families.  The  "  Christian  Watch- 
man "  was  established  in  Boston,  in  1819.  In  1848, 
tiie  "  Christian  Reflector,"  which  had  its  origin  in  the 
anti-slavery  agitation,  was  united  with  the  "  Christian 
Watchman,"  under  the  title  of  the  "  Watchman  and 
Reflector."  At  the  close  of  1875,  the  ''Christian 
Era,"  which  was  commenced  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  in 
1852,  was  united  with  the  "  Watchman  and  Reflector," 
and  the  paper  has  since  been  known  as  the  "  Watch- 
man." It  has  had  able  editors,  a  valuable  corps  of 
contributors,  and  in  general  has  worthily  represented 
the  Baptists  of  New  England. 

The  "  Christian  Secretary,"  designed  to  represent 
the  interests  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  Connecticut, 
was  first  issued  February  2,  1822,  at  Hartford. 
With  the  exception  of  a  brief  period — July,  1837,  to 
March,  1838 — when  the  paper  was  united  with  the 
"  Gospel  Witness,"  a  New  York  religious  journal,  the 
•'  Christian  Secretary,"  with  few  changes  in  its  edi- 
torial management,  has  faithfully  served  the  Baptists 
of  Connecticut. 

The  Baptists  of  Maine  sought  to  make  the  "Water- 
ville  Intelligencer,"  founded  in  1822,  a  medium  of 
communication  with  their  churches  in  the  State  ;  but 
they  soon  found  that  throu2:h  this  medium  "  thev  did 


296   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

not  always  speak  what  they  wished.''  Not  long  after, 
the  publication  of  the  "  Baptist  Herald "  was  com- 
menced at  Brunswick  ;  but  the  "  Herald  "  was  anti- 
mission  in  its  tendency,  and  the  paper  was  soon  dis- 
continued for  lack  of  patronage.  November  11, 
1828,  the  first  number  of  "  Zion's  Advocate"  Avas 
published  at  Portland,  and  under  this  title  the  paper 
has  since  appeared,  except  for  a  short  time  following 
the  union  in  1839  of  "  Zion's  Advocate"  and  the 
''  Eastern  Baptist,"  a  paper  commenced  in  Brunswick, 
November  15,  1835,  and  also  for  a  short  time  com- 
mencing September  3,  1848,  when  the  paper  was 
known  as  "  Zion's  Advocate  and  Eastern  Watchman." 
Mention  should  also  be  made  of  the  "  Christian 
Review,"  a  quarterly,  the  publication  of  which  was 
commenced  in  Boston,  in  1836.  A  fund  was  subscribed 
at  the  outset  to  guarantee  its  publication  against  loss. 
Later,  for  a  while,  the  "  Review  "  was  self-supporting ; 
but  its  list  of  subscribers  at  length  declined,  and  in 
1863,  at  the  close  of  the  twenty-eighth  volume,  it  was 
sold  to  the  publisher  of  the  "  Bibliotheca  Sacra." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE   PEESENT  CONDITION   AND   OUTLOOK. 

BY  estimate  there  were  in  New  England,  at  tlie 
opening  of  the  century,  282  Baptist  churches, 
with  20,151  members.  Arranged  by  decades  from 
1830,  the  number  of  Baptist  churches  and  church- 
members  in  the  six  New  England  States  are  as  follows  : 
There  were  in  1830,  721  churches,  54,806  members  ; 
1840,  815  churches,  80,853  members;  1850,  902 
churches,  90,450  members;  1860,  913  churches,  101,- 
845  members  ;  1870,  902  churches,  104,841  members ; 
1880,  909  churches,  120,298  members;  1890,  950 
churches,  130,132  members.  The  Minutes  for  1893 
give  the  Baptists  of  New  England  957  churches  and 
135,986  members. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  in  Boston,  the  metrop- 
olis of  New  England,  the  Baptists  now  take  the  lead 
in  church-membership.^ 

*  The  Minutes  of  the  Methodist  New  England  Conference,  for 
1893,  giving  Boston  25  Methodist  churches,  5,160  members,  and 
762  probationers.  The  Episcopal  Year-Book  gives  Boston  28 
Episcopal  churches,  and  8,106  members.  The  Minutes  of  the 
General  Association  of  Congregational  churches  in  Massachu- 
setts, for  1893,  give  Boston  31  Congregational  churches,  and 
10,626  members.  The  Minutes  of  tho  Massachusetts  Baptist 
Convention,  for  1893,  give  Boston  29  Baptist  cliurches,  and 
12,718  members. 

297 


298    HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS    IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

The  position  thus  indicated  has  been  reached,  not 
by  eccentricities  of  religious  thought  on  the  part  of 
the  pastors  of  Baptist  churches  in  Boston,  but  by 
their  recognizing  and  proclaiming  the  great  doctrines 
of  the  Scriptures.  The  gospel  has  been  faithfully 
preached,  and  an  able,  consecrated  ministry  has  been 
maintained.  Still  man  and  Baldwin  have  had  worthy 
successors  in  Sharp  and  Stow  and  Neale,  and  they 
have  worthy  successors  in  the  pastors  of  the  Boston 
Baptist  churches  at  the  present  day.  Active,  conse- 
crated laymen  also  have  been  important  factors  in 
this  wonderful  growth  of  the  denomination  in  Boston. 
All  along  they  have  been  at  the  front  in  church  exten- 
sion work.  Strategic  points  have  been-  seized  and 
held  with  great  advantage  to  the  denomination. 
From  time  to  time,  evangelistic  methods  have  been 
wisely  employed. 

Especially  has  the  Tremont  Temple  enterprise 
been  helpful  in  advancing  Baptist  interests  in  Boston. 
The  beginnings  of  this  enterprise  bring  prominently 
into  view  Dea.  Timothy  Gilbert.  In  1840,  he  was 
connected  with  a  small  Baptist  church,  worshiping  in 
a  hall  at  the  corner  of  Milk  and  Congress  Streets, 
and  soon  after  the  removal  of  the  church  to  the  corner 
of  Tremont  and  Bromfield  Streets,  he  was  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  providing  a  place  of  wor- 
ship where  persons  of  all  classes,  the  rich  and  poor, 
residents  and  strangers,  without  distinction  of  color 
or  condition,  would  have  an  opportunity  of  hearing 


THE    PRESENT   CG2iiDITI0N   AND   OUTLOOK.      299 

the  gospel  faithfully  preached.  Among  the  sites 
which  Dea.  Gilbert  deemed  favorable  for  such  an 
enterprise,  was  that  afterward  occupied  by  the  Museum 
on  Tremont  Street,  but  he  was  not  able  to  secure  it. 
About  that  time  the  owners  of  the  Tremont  Theatre, 
on  Tremont  Street,  advertised  their  building  for  sale ; 
and  the  purchase  was  made  by  Mr.  Gilbert  and  a  few 
other  Baptists.  The  cost  of  the  building  was  fifty- 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  the  alterations  required  an 
additional  outlay  of  twenty-four  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-four  dollars.  The  deed  of  the  pro- 
perty was  executed  in  June,  1843.  March  30,  1852, 
Tremont  Temple  was  burned.  Dea.  Gilbert  was  at 
the  front  in  the  work  of  reconstruction,  which  was 
completed  near  the  close  of  1853.  The  building  was 
re-dedicated  December  25th,  of  that  year.  The  new 
building  cost,  with  its  furniture,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-six  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fourteen  dol- 
lars and  twenty-six  cents.  Circumstances  imperilled 
the  property  early  in  1855,  and  for  a  short  time  it 
seemed  as  if  the  Temple  might  be  lost  to  the  Baptist 
denomination.  A  meeting  of  prominent  Baptists  in 
and  around  Boston  was  held  March  1,  1855.  The 
importance  of  securing  the  property  to  the  denomina- 
tion was  recognized.  June  28,  1855,  the  property 
was  conveyed  to  Thomas  Richardson,  Frederick 
Gould,  J.  W.  Converse,  G.  W.  Chipman,  and  J. 
Warren  Merrill,  as  trustees  for  the  sum  of  thirty-six 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  eleven  dollars  and  three 


oOO   HISTORY   OF    BAPTISTS    IN   NEW    ENGLAND. 

cents,  together  with  the  Temple's  outstanding  liabili- 
ties. The  Evangelical  Baptist  Benevolent  and  Mis- 
sionary Society,  composed  of  members  of  the  differ- 
ent Baptist  churches  in  and  around  Boston,  was 
organized  May  11,  1858,  and  the  property  was  trans- 
ferred to  it  November  30,  1858,  Not  long  after  a 
lease  was  executed,  granting  to  the  Tremont  Street 
Baptist  Church  and  Society  the  use  of  the  great  hall 
with  its  oro-an  and  furniture  during  the  daytime  on 
Sundays  as  a  place  of  public  worship,  and  basement 
rooms  for  vestry  and  Sunday-school,  on  condition  that 
the  church  should  maintain  worship  on  Sunday  with 
free  seats,  and  support  a  good  and  efficient  pastor, 
"  who  shall  be  considered  creditable  to  the  denomina- 
tion, and  such  as  shall  be  so  considered  by  the  Baptist 
churches  in  the  city  of  Boston,  and  the  adjoining 
cities  and  towns  of  Dorchester,  Roxbury,  Brookline, 
Cambridge,  Charlestown,  and  Chelsea  ;  and  that  the 
church  shall  hold  and  maintain  the  doctrines  of  the 
evangelical  Baptist  churches  in  said  cities  and  towns." 

In  1863,  the  Tremont  Temple  Baptist  Church  and 
the  Union  Baptist  Church  on  Merrimac  Street,  united 
under  the  title  of  the  Union  Temple  Baptist  Church. 
August  14,  1879,  the  Temple  was  again  burned.  In 
the  rebuilding  many  improvements  were  made,  and 
there  was  provision  also  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
various  denominational  societies  having  their  head- 
quarters in  Boston. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  Temple  enterprise,  Rev. 


THE   PRESENT  CONDITIOiSr   AND   OUTLOOK.     301 

Nathaniel  Colver  was  pastor  of  the  church.  Rev. 
J.  D.  Fulton,  D.  D.,  was  pastor  from  Dacember, 
1863,  nearly  ten  years.  Rev.  Geo.  C.  Locimer, 
T>.  D.,  the  present  pastor,  has  had  two  pastorates,  the 
fir^  extending  from  October,  1873,  to  April,  1879, 
and  the  second  commencing  May,  1891.  Rev.  F.  M. 
Ellis,  D.  D.,  was  pastor  from  June,  1880,  to  Novem- 
ber, 1884.  The  faithful  labors  of  these  pastors  are 
gratefully  acknowledged  by  the  church,  and  by  its 
sister  churches.  An  earnest  revival  spirit  has  char- 
acterized the  Temple  services  through  all  these  years, 
and  the  church  has  become  a  center  of  religious  influ- 
ence and  denominational  power. 

On  Sunday,  xMarch  19,  1893,  the  Temple  was 
again  destroyed  by  fire.  The  Temple  Church,  and 
the  various  Baptist  missionary  societies  having  their 
offices  in  the  building,  were  compelled  to  seek  quarters 
elsewhere,  the  Missionary  Union  losing  its  valuable 
library,  cabinet,  collection  of  portraits,  etc.  But  a 
new  building  is  to  be  erected  upon  liie  old  site,  and 
with  such  facilities  for  the  Temple  Church  as  its 
members  have  not  possessed  hitherto. 

But  the  growth  of  the  Baptists  in  the  New  Eng- 
land States  has  especially  been  promoted  by  the 
several  State  Conventions.  Through  these  stronjr 
and  energetic  organizations  much  missionary  work 
has  been  accomplished  among  the  smaller  and  pastor- 
less  churches,  and  funds  have  been  provided  for 
maintaining  regular  preaching  services  where  other- 


302   HISTORY   OF   BAPTISTS   IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 

wise  such  services  would  be  impossible.  Each  State, 
with  its  corresponding  secretary  as  its  chief  executive 
officer,  and  also  its  general  missionaries,  aided  in 
some  of  the  States  by  approved  evangelists,  cares  for 
its  own  field,  while  in  work  among  the  foreign  popu- 
lation the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society 
renders  efficient  aid. 

With  the  increase  in  the  members  of  Baptist 
churches  there  has  also  been  an  increase  of  the  value 
of  the  property  belonging  to  those  churches.  The 
national  census  for  1890  gives  the  value  of  the 
church  property  of  tlie  Baptists  of  New  England 
as  $10,994,940,  or  by  States  as  follows  :  Maine,  $915,- 
550;  New  Hampshire,  $585,050;  Vermont,  $584,500; 
Massachusetts, $6,107,830;  Rhode Island,$l,151,960; 
Connecticut,  $1,650,050. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  Baptist 
charitable  organizations  in  the  several  New  England 
States.  Mention  also  should  be  made  of  the  Baptist 
Home,  known  as  the  Chipman  Memorial,  and  situated 
in  Cambridge,  Mass.  It  was  the  gift  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs,  George  W.  Chipman,  in  1892,  and  is  designed 
to  provide  a  home  for  worthy  aged  people,  also 
orphans,  and  other  needy  and  dependent  children, 
preference  being  given  to  applicants  for  admission 
from  Tremont  Temple  Baptist  Church,  Boston,  to  the 
extent  of  one-half  of  those  who  can  be  accommodated 
in  the  present  building — a  preference  which  is  ex- 
plained by  the  fact  that  Mr.  Chipman  has  been  con- 


THE    PRESENT  CONDITION    AND   OUTLOOK.      303 

nected  closely  and  actively  with  the  Temple  enterprise 
for  more  than  a  third  of  a  century.  The  Home  is  a 
large  double  mansion,  seventy  by  forty  feet,  with 
twenty-five  rooms,  and  is  admirably  adapted  to  tlie 
benevolent  uses  to  which  it  has  been  consecrated. 

The  Boston  Baptist  Hospital  was  organized  in 
1893,  with  Arthur  W.  Sawyer,  as  president,  and  is  at 
present  limited  to  daily  clinics  in  dispensai'ies,  or 
medical  missions,  at  four  places  in  the  city,  where 
large  numbers  of  the  poor  are  reached.  Patients 
needing  hospital  care  are  provided  for  in  private  hos- 
pitals or  in  apartments  secured  for  the  purpose. 
Doubtless  a  hospital  building  and  an  endowment  will 
follow  in  the  near  future.  The  plan  already  adopted 
involves  in  addition  to  the  features  mentioned  a  train- 
ing school  for  nurses,  where  the  young  women  of 
Baptist  churches  seeking  preparation  for  a  life-work 
of  ministration  may  be  fully  equipped ;  an  emergency 
hospital  with  ambulances,  in  the  center  of  the  city ; 
and  a  corps  of  district  nurses.  The  co-operation  of 
the  Baptists  of  New  England  is  desired  in  this  work. 

The  Baptists  of  New  England  have  wisely  given 
education  a  place  of  honor  and  recognized  power. 
The  value  of  the  grounds  and  buildings  belonging  to 
the  Baptist  educational  institutions  in  New  England 
is  $2,060,403,  and  these  institutions  already  have 
cash  endowments  amounting  to  $2,685,070.  Able, 
scholarly  men  are  at  the  head  of  these  various  insti- 
tutions; and  associated  with  them  are  competent  assist- 


304    HISTORY    OF    BAPTISTS    IX    NEW    ENGLAND. 

ants.  Our  academies,  also,  are  in  a  most  flourishing 
condition.  Added  funds,  it  is  true,  are  needed  in 
order  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  these  institutions,  but 
already  they  are  doing  a  noble  service  not  only  for 
the  Baptists  of  New  England,  but  for  those  not  Bap- 
tists who  avail  themselves  of  the  educational  facilities 
which  these  institutions  offer. 

But  it  is  not  to  be  forgotten  that  while  the  Baptists 
of  New  England  are  now  better  equipped  for  efficient 
service  than  at  any  other  period  in  their  history,  they 
are  at  the  same  time  confronted  by  new  conditions. 
The  native-born  population  is  constantly  diminishing. 
According  to  the  national  census  of  1890,  the  popu- 
lation of  New  England  in  that  year  was  4,700,745. 
The  whole  number  of  foreign-born  persons  in  New 
England  in  1890,  was  1,142,339,  or  24.30  per  cent. 
During  the  decade  from  1880  to  1890,  there  was  an 
increase  in  the  foreign-born  population  of  348,727, 
or  43.94  per  cent,  as  against  an  increase  in  native- 
born  of  341,489,  or  10.62  per  cent.  The  increase 
in  native-born  population  from  1850  to  1890  was 
1,136,539,  or  46.93  per  cent. ;  while  the  foreign-born 
increased  during  the  same  period  836,090,  or  273  01 
per  cent. 

It  is  this  change  in  the  character  of  the  population 
of  New  England  that  presents  new  problems  to  Baptist 
workers.  For  the  most  part  the  foreign-born  persons 
in  the  New  England  States  are  Roman  Catholics.  In 
the   Northern    New  England    States   they   are  very 


THE   PRESENT   CONDITION   AND   OUTLOOK.     305 

largely  French  Roman  Catholics.  Work  has  been 
commenced  among  the  different  nationalities  repre- 
sented in  the  foreign-born  population.  In  this  work 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  co-oper- 
ates with  the  various  State  Conventions.  Mission- 
aries are  laboring  among  the  French,  the  Germans, 
the  Norwegians,  the  Swedes,  and  the  Finns.  Con- 
verts have  been  won,  and  in  some  places  churches 
have  been  established.  Moreover,  at  Newton  Theo- 
logical Institution,  a  French  department  has  been 
organized  for  the  training  of  young  French  Baptists 
who  wish  to  devote  themselves  to  work  in  behalf  of 
their  countrymen.  The  Grand  Ligne  Mission  in  the 
Province  of  Quebec,  Canada,  is  an  important  ally  in 
this  work.  But  unquestionably  more  attention  to  the 
rapidly  increasing  foreign  element  in  our  population 
will  be  required  if  in  the  future  the  Baptists  of  New 
England  are  to  increase  in  number  and  influence  as 
they  have  increased  hitherto. 


APPENDIX  A. 


Amounts  contributed  annually  by  the  churches 
of  New  England  from  1832  to  the  present,  1893. 
Bequests  are  included. 


Maine. 

N.  H. 

Vt. 

Mass. 

K.I. 

Conn. 

1832-45 

1845 

$2,717.10 
163.47 

$3,083.42 

395.35 

528.41 

242.50 

343.81 

50.50 

625.88 

419.17 

1,104.77 

1,487.00 

1,632.60 

1,87.5.47 

1,608.22 

1,627.09 

1,377.14 

2,157.71 

1,744.89 

2,344.22 

1 ,480.26 

1,784.50 

2,319.31 

662.30 

1,844.15 

$1,718.95 
215.32 
673.95 
184.00 
257.51 
222.80 

1,015.75 
471.98 
505.17 
494.71 
758.58 

1,511.10 

1,186.34 
967.44 
860.69 

1,219.93 
771.67 
586.97 

1,345.64 
602.58 
609.92 
779.89 
577.47 

$22,313.30 

2,164.44 

1,474.20 

3,333.03 

4,791.22 

4,022.07 

5,357.73 

6,717.06 

8,497.51 

7,974.56 

12,005.92 

8,265.73 

10,467.62 

10,176.01 

11,620.98 

10,667.47 

10,639.29 

9,523.96 

6,163.79 

7,745.19 

11,438.27 

24,341.79 

16,472.28 

$5,118.45 

599.59 

852.35 

669.56 

1,683.33 

1,. 545.76 

2,427.57 

1,188.66 

2,874.55 

687.87 

2,695.78 

2,287.45 

2,560.07 

1,768.88 

1,265.58 

993.76 

4,603.99 

1,393.96 

1,044.07 

981.95 

1,419.62 

2,991.01 

1,680.70 

$11,628.71 
1,834.50 

1.846 

1,186.03 

1847 

1,042.31 

1848_ 

1,072.06 

1849 

500.00 

1,480.46 

1850 

1,251.34 

1851 

37.00 
56.39 
622.31 
164.66 
173.16 
102.44 
82.09 
27.37 
82.51 
60.12 
16.00 
65.00 
14.15 
164.00 
265.79 
993.33 

2,032.59 

1852 

2,490.31 

1853 

3,052.58 

1854 

4,529.96 

1855 

4,285.70 

1856 

4,047.46 

1857 

3,840.83 

1858 

3,089.55 

1859 

3,001.S3 

1860 

1861 

3,430.20 
4,353.25 

1862 

3,132.96 

1863 

1,877.27 

18(;4 

4,135.92 

1865 

3,.531.15 

1866 

13,419.08 

1867 

1868 

1869 

878.27 
732.48 
1,487.30 
1,708.15 
6,922.24 
2,90.5.41 
2,010.75 
3,529.75 
4,36t;..39 
3,742.85 
920.33 
1,282.42 
1,671.49 
2,325.91 
1,272.31 
1,692.62 
2,095  68 
4,703.89 

29,517.12 
215,.503.79 

23,968.33 
2,086.35 
2,.i75.77 
2,010.91 
4,405.28 

6,2(>8  65 
2,648.61 
1,712.34 
3,275.33 
3,481..57 
4,118.63 
2,048.77 
4,542.35 
2,585.87 
2,659.22 
1,505.10 
1,195.21 
2,187.38 
1,068.21 
1,978.08 
1,429.11 
1,993.38 
2,916.94 
1,961.66 
2,209.37 
2,626.71 
4,393.37 

2,4i»8.ir, 

3,514.38 
3,417.80 

4,301.73 
1,775.87 
2,779.75 
4,832.35 
3,401.86 
5,039.40 
6,332.12 
6,101.57 
2,413.84 
1,206.44 
1,992.75 
2,159.04 
3,028.26 
1,462.08 
2,312.31 
2,630.50 
2,882.56 
7,806.14 
1,764.14 
1,912..53 
1,395.55 
3,015.46 
1,. 500.01 
1,602.84 
1,978.48 

26,229.55 
21,831.43 
30,570.20 
42,942.22 
31,551.24 
28,602.46 
33,927.70 
41,064.31 
35,234..59 
48,888.97 
23,661.61 
23,652.49 
24,202.49 
40,475.95 
60,837.92 
40,171.64 
54,860.49 
56,059.47 

147,516.77 
37,031.24 
37,863.97 

107,3.85.45 
56,592.33 
38,998.85 
42,>^72.79 

2,114.29 
2,684.82 

16,.565.52 
6,576.92 
8,091.48 
6,058.81 

19,200.64 
5,429.99 
3,838.27 
5,580.82 
5,346.36 
4,553.20 
4,120.33 
3,846.03 
7,078.71 
4,.564.10 

23,444.38 
9,;$26.56 
5,842.36 
4,2.54.37 
6,478.70 
4,830.46 
5,744.82 
4,225.05 
6,098.16 

5,259.52 
6,699.81 

1870 

6,754.23 

1871     

1872     

11, -579.59 
3,786.68 

1873 

6,634.51 

1874 

7,080.66 

1875   

6,557.34 

1876 

10,275.43 

1877 

9,789.11 

1.S78 

7,3(i9.61 

1879 

1880 

6,2.52.60 
28,527.45 

1881 

6,215.08 

1882 

11,327.19 

1883-84 

1884-85 

1885-86   .... 

1886-87 

1887-88 

1888-89 

18^9-90  

18(0-91 

18  11-92 

18l2-',)3  

7,720.80 
10,308.84 
14,324.63 
35,597.74 

9,269.52 

6,459.83 
41,173.31 

8,317.74 
38,022.71 
14,913.32 

Total  $330,4.52.68  $98,.S.S4.9o!S'.t3,16.5.94  ?I,::.55,199.65' $218,220.66 iS4<)3,902.S.'>. 

307 


APPENDIX  B. 


Amounts  contributed  to  the  State  Convention  and 
Missionary  Union,  since  1815  and  up  to  1893 : 


Year. 

^r- 

Maine. 

N.  n. 

$200.00 
175.00 

Vermont. 

Mass. 

R.  I. 

Conn. 

1815  ) 

1816  S 

1817 

$555.49 

115.20 

360.01 

427.00 

307.33 

283.96 

262.61 

306.74 

371.20 

484.58 

754.75 

451.00 

163.38 

315.00 

493.41 

462.32 

963.17 

1,765.41 

507.15 

599.44 

345.12 

233.50 

186.50 

514.72 

1,342.81 

848  26 

541.26 

754.00 

1,069.95 

2,043.80 

2,341.84 

1,938.95 

2,610.53 

1,964.73 

1,452.36 

2,093.48 

1,483.01 

2,128.24 

1,798.13 

2,188.14 

1,833.97 

1,465.84 

2,109.49 

1,260.29 

799.39 

$1,752.72 

1,798.07 
676.51 
1,510.03 
1,-528.19 
1,145.50 
490.00 
2,237.00 
884.63 
1,0,39.56 
4,513.68 
1,938.02 
2,518.18 
2,368.85 
3,943.07 
4,077.69 
5,367.28 
4,-548.58 
4,463.35 
5,8-54.90 
3,509.99 
6,829.63 
4,890.45 
11,685.69 
9,357.28 
8,414.78 
10,865.85 
10,596.74 
13,977.24 
17,413.26 
28,122.00 
21,383.94 
23,928.42 
23,483.47 
24,316.48 
28,383.35 
28,544.77 
24,379.58 
28,-548.71 
25,190.82 
3-',598.9fi 
26,338.67 
24,492.59 
22,-548.53 
23,010.61 

$199.82 

285.03 

28.27 

69.00 

36.59 

6.00 

3.72 

$434.27 
481.85 

ISl^S 

S140.00 
277.33 
22.52 

316.50 

1,S19 

265.00 
10.5.01) 
120.46 

156.34 

1820 

711.59 

1821 

170.06 

18  '2 

150.00 

26.57 

1S23 

88.85 

77'.36 

211.36 

54.50 

273.20 

188.24 

420.80 

248.14 

16.78 

324.31 

650.30 

14.75 

508.50 

407.11 

534.00 

867.75 

863.29 

869.03 

454.10 

461.18 

1,108.01 

1,085.66 

2,060.88 

2,237.50 

2,527.67 

2,210.-59 

1,856.32 

1,983.92 

1,871.56 

2,196.01 

1,846.98 

2,319.85 

2,269.98 

2,212.47 

1,732.39 

1,8.38.97 

2,104.85 

95.90 

18''4 

104.91 

1825 

608.25 
767.09 
2,196.78 
1,801.68 
1,110.63 
1,191  63 
775.22 
1,045.27 
1,161.88 
1,548.15 
1,522.92 
1,592.16 
2,775.45 
1,142.89 
2,005.61 
3,178.53 
1,466.81 
1,.'>.'^3.43 
1,303.00 
3,420.44 
3,-368.27 
6,440.14 
4,676.82 
5,38823 
6,052.28 
4,506.87 
5,072.49 
6,899.93 
4,666.86 
5,537.92 
5,434.46 
5,103.21 
4,604.63 
3,987.16 
3,761.54 
3,790.69 

1826 

209.30 

22.80 

602.03 

300.00 

318.50 

416.00 

627.76 

542.57 

563.00 

1,042.25 

530.77 

606.25 

1,972.75 

929.27 

1,1.52.67 

2,722.10 

2,423.36 

3,446.-39 

4,351.84 

8,580.10 

6,185.13 

4,613.25 

6,444.68 

4,671.18 

4,632.95 

5,323.44 

6,339.66 

6,273.53 

3,701.43 

4,403  62 

3,.')46.77 

4,216.15 

2,7.32.80 

2,839.61 

1827 

175.00 

1828 

1,245.76 

1829 

250.00 

1830 

92.27 

1831 

1,274.82 

1832 

1,011.37 

1833 

579.50 

1834 

1835 

546.15 
1,996.03 

1836 

1837 

63.10 

200.28 

1838 

1,686.46 

1839 

2,4.58.01 

1840 

2.363.64 

1841 

2,569.83 

1842 

3,008  10 

1843 

3,431.i59 

1844 

3,684.42 

1845 

2,797.15 

1846 

5,324.11 

1847 

6,236.61 

1848 

4,248.45 

1849 

5,039.74 

1850 

5,602.06 

1851 

6,386.48 

1852 

4,854.04 

1853 

4,761.66 

1854 

5,577.36 

1855 

5,088.14 

1856 

9,804.02 

1857 

5,409  66 

1858 

3,794.47 

1859 

4,7.50.06 

1860 

5,731.10 

308 


APPENDIX   B. 


309 


Year. 

Maine. 

N.  H. 

Vermont. 

Mass. 

R.I. 

Conn. 

1861 

3,553.69 
3,530.78 
3,.522.58 
4,189.80 
4,564.15 
4,862.57 
4,450.44 
4,506.35 
4,559.52 
4,801.16 
4,564.11 
7,260.75 
5,111.83 
6,457.45 
6,595.32 
6,202.32 
4,495.19 
5,897.08 
2,987.92 
4,701.09 
5,356.37 
2,928.94 
2,892.24 
3,177  60 
3,589.21 
3,531.15 
2,630.17 
2,892.48 
4,421.48 
3,286.55 
3,162.20 
3,200.88 
7,327.96 

1,949.70 
2,U8.875 
3,951.44 
1,508.90 
1,946.79 
2,965.60 
9,08701 
4,048.08 
3,072.84 
2,9.55.66 
2,157.88 
4,344.93 
3,555.21 
4,179.80 
4,867.28 
4,207.91 
2,9.32.19 
2,555.32 
1 ,742.31 
2,75S.40 
1,740.31 
1,627.65 
1.768.02 
1  510.90 
],,581.84 
1,883.33 
1,601.84 
1,772  41 
2,:»3.29 
3,512.10 
2,561.23 
9,191.55 
4,695.17 

996.98 
1,482.71 
941.18 
953.20 
1,120.86 
1,861.15 
1,607.92 
2,213.15 
3,482.60 
2,232.78 
1,746.75 
2,259.81 
3,592.22 
3,696.52 
3,017.51 
4,723.88 
2,388.49 
2,058.27 
2,282.85 
4,057.54 
3,065.75 
1507.37 
1,914.33 
1,509.75 
2,163.89 
1,828.88 
1,461.21 
1,328.45 
1,637.65 
1,203.02 
1,924.25 
2,113.11 
4,399.13 

16,737.68 
17,949.77 
18,352.77 
19,938.54 
24,897.65 
43,415.79 
30,212.85 
37,r.82.84 
51,449.03 
46,463.71 
46,700.35 
39,126.30 
39.592.39 
47,015.04 
43,516.10 
48,627.28 
42,328.03 
30,189.83 
29,367.89 
41,312.72 
32,627.14 
28,211.55 
33,430.80 
30,393.42 
37,304.10 
44,119.98 
33,305.45 
32,297.10 
32,606.25 
37,876.32 
47,898.33 
46,198.42 
106,214.52 

1,909.25 
3,114.01 
2,372.34 
3,538.07 
4,374.87 
3,474.72 
3,376.14 
5,125.62 
4,733  96 

'  7,563.56 
4,090.11 
4,734.76 
7,031.99 
9,632.53 
5,546.23 
7,10.5.79 
5,559.72 
6,268.12 
5,059.37 
5,760.31 
4,710.49 
4,773.91 
5,068.75 
5,018.93 
5,202.27 
6,678.82 
5,960.64 
5,988.43 
6,263.14 
5,621.10 
6,239.39 
6,035.61 

10,182.33 

3,769.94 

1862 

1863 

18(V4 

5,484.28 
4,961.01 

13,076.31 
4,832.50 
5,391.95 
5,973.58 
6,194.94 

11,014.81 
6,312.75 
4,705.86 
6,000.19 
6,521.17 
4,'.  44  24 
4,992.83 
5,337.20 
6,908.36 
7, .5.35.04 
5,3.57.45 
5,695.19 
7,081.74 
5,900.83 
7,041.52 
5,032.42 
5,419.82 
4,376.11 
4,409.:-0 
4,264.36 
4,262.66 

12,050.44 

18,312.48 

1865 

lSli6 

1867 

1S68 

1869 

1870 

1,S71 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1S90 

1891 

1892 

1893 

Total 

256,260.50 

144,537.60 

118,070.62 

1,792,727.56 

276,023.62 

322,895.12 

APPENDIX  C. 

The  annual  growth  of  the  denomination  in  New 
England  from  the  year  1800  to  1893,  as  indicated  in 
the  body  of  the  work,  chapters  X.  and  XI.,  pp.  196- 
235. 


if  ear. 

Churches. 

Members. 

1800 

48 

2,988 

1810 

121 

7,337 

1830 

215 

13,266 

1840 

261 

20,490 

1850 

295 

19,850 

1860 

278 

21,380 

1870 

265 

19,351 

1880 

262 

21,013 

1890 

249 

19,271 

1893 

246 

18,422 

VERMONT. 

ifear. 

Churches. 

Members. 

1826 

6,629 

1830 

i"22 

8,082 

1840 

11,601 

1850 

104 

7,653 

1860 

107 

8,263 

1870 

8,707 

1880 

104 

9,870 

1890 

109 

8,756 

1893 

100 

8,738 

RHODE  ISLAND. 


Year. 

Churches. 

Membei 

1825 

44 

3,887 

1843 

40 

6,411 

1850 

49 

7,278 

1860 

60 

8,849 

1870 

60 

9,363 

1880 

60 

10,719 

1890 

69 

12,039 

1893 

75 

13,120 

NEW  HAilPSHIRE. 

Year. 

Churches. 

Members, 

1828 

70 

4,637 

1830 

80 

6,138 

1840 

9,557 

1843 

107 

10,535 

1858 

8,525 

1870 

87 

8,156 

1880 

84 

9,077 

1890 

82 

8,771 

1893 

85 

9,444 

MASSACHUSETTS, 


rear. 

Churches. 

Members, 

1812 

70 

8,000 

1824 

122 

10,325 

1830 

172 

15,824 

1840 

209 

23,684 

1850 

245 

31,344 

1860 

268 

36  250 

1870 

266 

40,421 

1880 

290 

49,001 

1890 

311 

59,006 

1893 

315 

63,104 

CONNECTICUT. 

fear. 

Churches. 

Members. 

1800 

59 

4,663 

1810 

61 

5,149 

1820 

73 

7,503 

1830 

83 

9,196 

1840 

96 

11,021 

1850 

113 

16,033 

1860 

116 

18,806 

1870 

112 

18,843 

1880 

119 

20,618 

1890 

130 

22,239 

1893 

137 

23,158 

310 


Total  in  1893 :  Churches,  957  ;  members,  135,986. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Academies 190-195 

Anabaptists  :  Referred  to  by  Gov. 

Winslow 31 

increasing  in  numbers 32 

Clarke  and  others  accused  of 

being 34 

emigrated  to  New  England...    65 

exemption  of 107 

Andrews,  Rev.  E.  Benj.,  d.  d., 174 

Asplund :  Referred  to  as  author- 
ity  93,  96, 101, 102 

Association:    Six   Principle,    or- 
ganized     80 

Philadelphia,  organized.- 81 

the  Warren,  formed 81,   82 

powers  of,  defined 83,    84 

the  Warren,  in  Revolution...    84 

Bowdoinham,  formed 88 

formed  in  Vermont 93 

Woodstock,  organized 94 

Boston,  formed 226 

Asssociations :    formed    in   Ver- 
mont     95 

in  Connecticut 103 

contributing 135,  137 

in  Maine 199 

in  New  Hampshire 205,  206 

in  Vermont 212 

in  Massachusetts- 218 

and  Sunday-echools,. 247,  248 

Backus,  Isaac :  Quotation  from....  40 

words  of,  quoted 46 

organizing  church  at  Middle- 

boro 49 


PAOB 

Backus,  Isaac :  Ability  of 49 

services  of -    96 

referred  to  as  a  historian 97 

quoted 108 

appointed      on     "  Grievance 

Committee" 109 

address  prepared  by 110 

Court  petitioned  by Ill 

misrepresented 113 

Court  memorialized  by ~,.  114 

before  Warren  Association 114 

appealing  to  people  of  Massa- 
chusetts   118 

opposing    Federal    constitu- 
tion   121 

worthy    of    lasting    remem- 
brance   127 

quotation  from 281 

Banvard,  Mrs.  J 278 

Baptists:  Connected  with  Roger 

Williams 23 

attitude  of  Massachusetts  to- 
ward     33 

persecuted 42,    43 

notice  against 45 

persecuted  in  Kittery,  Maine 

53-58 
principles  of,  in  Connecticut..    61 

persecuted  in  Connecticut 62 

churches  of,  in  Vermont 68 

in    accord    with    the  revival 

efforts 69 

a    seminary     for,  in    Rhode 

Island 72,    74 

Six  Principle 80 

^  311 


312 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Baptists:    Increasing  after  Eev- 

olution 84 

increasing   in    New    Hamp- 
Bhire 89 

in  Ehode  Island 101 

regarding  Court  action  unjust  107 
protesting  against  oppression 

111,  112 

oppressive  laws  against Ill 

relief  promised  to 112, 113 

the  "Bill  of  Eights"  of... 115,  116 

and  religious  liberty 117 

continued  annoyance  of 119 

Cambridge,  action  of. 120 

oppressed  in  Massachusetts...  123 

paid  ministerial  taxes 124 

certificate   law   not   satisfac- 
tory to 126 

services  of,  recognized 128 

persecuted  in  other  parts  of 

New  England 128 

persecuted    in    New    Hamp- 
shire   129 

persecuted  in  Vermont 130 

growth  of,  in  New  England  ...  134 

churches  of,  in  Maine 196-198 

churches  of,  in  New  Hamp- 
shire  204,  205 

churches  of,  in  Vermont. ..209-212 
churches  of,  in  Massachusetts 

216,  217 
churches  of,  in  Ehode  Island.. 

228,  229 
churches  of,  in  Connecticut ... 

235,  236 
of  New  England  immovable..  284 
of  New  England  influenced  by 

Fuller 284 

of  New    England   on   moral 

questions 289-291 

the  "Press"  among 295,  296 

churches  of,  in  New  England  297 

leading  in  Boston 297 

church  property  of. 302 


PAGE 

Baptists:    Of   New  England  and 

education 303 

well  equipped  for  service 304 

Freewill,    The:    Founder  of 

denomination 282 

modifying  influence  of. 283 

Bill  of  Rights:   Drawn  by  Bap- 
tists    115 

considered 116 

its  third  article  redrafted 117 

its  third  article  amended  and 

adopted 127 

Bixby,  Mrs.  M.  H ., 272 

Boston :  First  church  in 40,    41 

debate  at 43 

second  church  organized  at ...    48 
Baptist  church  at,  appealed  to    53 

Hanserd  Knollys  came  to 65 

Missionary  Board  removed  to  157 

Baptists  leading  in 297 

Brown  University:    Founded  at 

Warren,  R.  1 75 

located  at  Providence 77 

buildings  for,  erected 78,    79 

opposition  to 79 

buildings    of,    occupied    by 

British 100 

charter  of,  revised 100 

different  presidents  of. 170-174 

students  in,  contributing 231 

Carolina,   South:    First    Baptist 

Church  established  therein..    5S 

Caswell,  Rev.  Alexis,  d.  d 17^{ 

Chauncy,  Charles:  Views  of. 31 

referred  to 32 

Churches:  Number  of,  organized    48 

Baptist,  associated 80 

Baptist,  increasing 9:2 

number  of,  in  Vermont, 93 

number  of,  in  Massachusetts..    96 
number  of,  in  Rhode  Island...  101 

Baptist,  of  long-standing 102 

Baptist,  patriotic 113 


INDEX. 


313 


PAOE 

Churches:  Contributuig   to  mis- 
sion work 134 

in  Mississippi  Valley 146, 147 

mission  of,  with  their  member- 
ship  „ 164 

in  Maine 196-198 

in  New  Hampshire 203-205 

in  Vermont 209-212 

number    of,    in     Massachu- 
setts  216,  217 

number    of,    in    Bhode    Is- 
land  „ ^ 228,  229 

number  of,  in  Connecticut  235,  236 

educated  ministry  in 287,  288 

Baptist,  in  New  England 297 

other  than  Baptist 297 

Clarke,  John :  Arrived  at  Boston..    24 

at  ftovidence 24 

reference  to 25 

administering  baptism 26 

death  of. 28 

persecuted 33 

discussion  by 35,  36 

Colby  University:  described. ..174-179 

presidents  of. 179 

Colonists :  The  Popham 9 

returning  to  England 10 

Puritan,  at  Cape  Ann 11 

settlements  by 12 

representatives  of,  at  Phila- 
delphia   Ill 

Colby,  Mrs.  Mary  U 272 

Connecticut :  Founders  of 61 

first  Baptist  church  in 61 

a  second  church  founded  in...    62 

persecution  of  Baptists  in 62 

citizens  of,  patriotic 101 

laws  of,  and  ministerial  taxes.  131 
certificate  system   obnoxious 

in_ 132 

rights  of  conscience  secured 

in 132,  133 

missionary  measures  adopted 
in 143 


PAQB 

Connecticut :     Baptist    churches 

in 235,  236 

population  in 236 

missionary  society  in 238 

Sunday-schools  in 261-264 

Controversy:  At  Providence  and 

Newport 27 

regarding  slavery 158 

Contributions :  Instituted  for  mis- 
sionary work 135-137 

reported 138,  140 

indicating  interest. 149 

for  foreign  missions  l.'>0 

reported  by  Missionary  Union  162 

referred  to 165-167 

appendix  of 166 

to  Colby  University 179 

to  Newton  _ 186,  187 

to  other  institutions 189 

to  academies 191-193 

to  Worcester  Academy 195 

in  Maine 199 

in  New  Hampshire 206,  207 

in  Vermont 213 

in  Massachusetts 218 

of  Brown  students 232 

in  Connecticut 239 

of  women's  societies 270,  271 

to  women's  societies 280 

Dexter,  H.  M. :  Reference  of,  to 

Williams 20 

quotation  from 3.3 

reference  to  work  of 37 

Dunster,  Henry :  Resigned  Har- 
vard College 38 

Edwards,  Jonathan:  Influence  of,    47 

Endicott,  Gov. :  Citation  from 34 

writing  to  Roger  Williams  ....     37 

Exemption,  act  of:  Passed 105 

expired  for  Baptists 105 

for  Anabaptists 107 

expiration  of. 109 


314 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Fuller,  Andrew :  Influeace  of. 284 

Fuller,  Richard 291 

Great  Awakening,  The:    Aiding 

Baptists  in  Connecticut.. ..63,  64 
in  New  England 46 

Haverhill:  Thechurchin 50 

Rev.  Hezekiah  Smith,  pastor 

in 50 

church  in,  increased 59 

Holland:  The  Pilgrims  from 10 

Holmes,   Obadiah:     Member    of 

Newport  Church 27 

becomes  pastor  at  Newport....    28 

arrested  at  Lynn 33 

whipped  36,37 

Hopewell :  Academy  opened  at 70 

Hovey,  Rev.  Alvah,  D.  D 187 

Judson,  Rev.  Adoniram :  Request-  . 

ing  baptism 152 

assured  of  support 153 

sutferings  of 156 

returned  to  United  States,  159, 160 
influence  of,  on  Baptists 284 

Kittery:  Baptists  in 54 

persecution  in 53-58 

church  transferred  from 58 

Knollys,  Hanserd :  Came  to  Boston  65 
settled  in  New  Hampshire 65 

Lebanon:  Church  organized  in....    60 

Liberty,  Religious:  Violation  of...  104 

Backus' address  in  favor  of.....  110 

not  that  of  Baptists 117 

struggle  for  continued 118,  119 

address  in  favor  of,  by  Rev. 

John  Lelaud 125 

secured  in  Massachusetts 127 

secured  in  Connecticut 132 

Maine:  Settlement  in 9 

persecution  of  Baptists  in 53-58 


PAGE 

Maine:    Baptist  efforts  therein 59 

Baptists  in,  desiring  associa- 
tion   85,  86 

missionary  society  started  in..  140 
missionary  magazine  begun  in  140 

progress  of  Baptists  in 196-203 

Associations  in 199 

contributions  in 199 

societies  in 201-203 

Sunday-schools  in 247,  249 

Manning,  James :  in  Rhode  Island    72 
chosen    president   of    Brown 

University 76 

quotation  from 78 

associating  churches 81 

preaching  dedication  sermon 

at  Providence 99 

presenting  memorial  at  Phila- 
delphia   Ill 

position  of,  as  to  Federal  Con- 
stitution   122 

death  of,  mentioned 170 

Massachusetts :        First    Baptist 

church  in 39 

Baptists  in 40 

Puritans  from,  founding  Con- 
necticut      61 

offering  land  bounty 87 

Baptist  churches  in 96 

second  charter  of 104 

General  Court  of. 106,  107 

Congress  of,  memorialized 113 

General  court  of,  memorialized  114 
State  constitution  formed  in...  115 

people  of,  appealed  to 118 

Federal  Constitution  adopted 

in 122 

Baptists  in,  still  oppressed 123 

certificate  law  passed  in. ..125,  126 
Baptist     Missionary    Society 

organized  in.....-^ 138 

missionary     magazine     pub- 
lished in 139 

Baptist  churches  in 216,  217 


INDEX. 


315 


PAGE 

Massachusetts :  foreign  population 

in 218 

Sunday-schools  in 255-258 

Mather,  Cotton  :  Quotation  from,  38, 39 

referring  to  Anabaptists Go 

Maxey,  Kev.  Jonathan 170 

Merrill,  Mrs.  J.  Warren 273 

Missionary  magazines :  One  started 

in  Massachusetts 139 

one  in  Maine 140 

Missionary :  Society  organized  in 

Massachusetts 138 

society  in  Maine 140 

services  rendered 141,  142 

society  incorporated  in  Massa- 
chusetts   143 

convention  held 144 

society  in   Massachusetts  ac- 
tive  145,  146 

services  of  Messrs.  Peck  and 

Going 147,  148 

interest  awakened 150,  151 

society  at  Boston,  and  Judson  153 
Convention,     (Triennial)    or- 
ganized   154 

interest  increased 154 

Board  removed  to  Boston 157 

controversy  regarding  slavery,  158 

Union  organized 159 

advance  in  Burma,  et  al,. ..IGO,  161 

activity  during  war 161 

Union  fortunate  in  officers 168 

Messer,  Eev.  Asa 170,  171 

New  England:  Great  awakening 

in  46,47,  69 

colleges  in 70 

address  to  people  of 114 

persecution  of  Baptists  in 128 

growth  of  Baptists  in 134 

Sunday-school  movement  in...  241 

Baptists  immovable  in 284 

Baptists  in,  influenced  by  An- 
drew FuUer 284 


PAGE 

New  England  :  Baptists  of,  consid- 
ering slavery 290 

Baptist  "Press"  in 295,  29G 

change  of  population  in 304 

New    Hampshire:     First  Baptist 

church  organized  in 66 

spread  of  Baptist  principles  in,    67 
churches  in,  desiring  associa- 
tion      85 

Baptists  increasing  in 89 

persecution  of  Baptists  in 129 

Baptist  churches  in 204,  205 

Sunday-schools  in 249-252 

State  Convention  of,  seeking  a 

Confession  of  Faith 285-287 

Newport:  Church  at, referred  to...    25 

assistance  sought  from 26 

date  of  church  at 26 

additions  to  church  at 27 

division  in  church  at 28 

Sabbatarian  church  at 28 

brethren  from,  arrested 33 

prosperity  of  Baptists  at 90 

Painter,  Thomas :  Whipped 32 

Persecution:  Ass-iiling  Baptists... 

41,42 

of  Baptists  in  Maine 55,  58 

of  Baptists  in  Connecticut 62 

instances  of 105, 106 

protested  against til,  112 

prevailing  in  Massachusetts...  123 
in  other  parts  of  New  England  128 

in  New  Hampshire 129 

in  Vermont 130 

Philadelphia:  Meeting  of  Associa^ 

tion  at 71 

Association    of,    considering 

education 71 

Association  of,  appealed  to 74 

Association  formed 81 

colonies  meeting  at Ill 

Missionary    Board    removed 
from 167 


316 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Philadelphia:  Confession 281 

Pilgrims,  The:  Were  Separatists...  10 

from  Holland 10 

settled  at  Plymouth 10 

tolerance  of 16 

Plymouth:  Magistrates  of,  perse- 
cuting   26 

Fopham,  Sir  John 9 

Press,  Baptist,  The 295,  296 

Providence :  Settled  by  Williams..  22 

reached  by  John  Clarke 24 

Baptists  at,  referred  to 27 

First  Church  of,  referred  to....  28 

house  for  church  at 29 

preaching  at 30 

Brown  University,  located  at.  77 
new    Baptist   meeting   house 

in  , 98,  99 

Puritans,  The :  Not  Separatists....  11 

exodus  of,  from  England 12 

religious  freedom  not  agree- 
able to 12 

founding  Connecticut 61 

Rehoboth :  Church  organized  at...    39 

Rhode  Island :  Association  of. 80 

people  of,  republican 99 

the  British  in 100 

progress  of  Baptists  in 101 

law  of  exemption  in 132 

Baptist  churches  in 228,  229 

Sunday-schools  in 259,  261 

Robinson,  Rev.  E  G.,  D.  d  173 

Roger  Williams  :  Sketch  of. 13-24 

a  godly  minister 14 

invited  to  Boston 14 

called  to  Salem „ 14 

protest  against 15 

summoned  to  court 17 

banishment  of. 18-20 

banishment  of,  revoked 19 

views  of. 21 

settlement  of,  at  Providence...    22 
and  the  Baptists 2.^ 


PAGE 

Roger  Williams :  Becomes  a  seeker    23 
plea  of,  for  toleration 38 

Salem,  Church   at:   Called   Wil- 
liams      14 

steadfast  to  Williams 18 

Screven,  William 51-58 

Sears,  Rev.  Barnas,  d.  d 172, 173 

Societies:  Education, in  Maine 201-203 

charitable,  in  Maine 203 

missionary,   in    New  Hamp- 
shire   206 

other,  in  N.  H 208 

education,  in  Vermont 215 

other 215 

Mass.  State  convention 219,  222 

charitable  society  in  Mass 223 

Ed.  Society  in  Mass^ 225-227 

Ed.  Society  in  Rhode  Island.,.  234 

Miss.  Society  in  Conn 236 

Ed.  Society  in  Conn 239 

Bible  Society  in  Conn 240 

Mass.  Sunday-school  Union... 

255-257 

women's 265 

Young  People's 293 

Separatists:  Pilgrims  were 10 

Puritans  not 11 

farewell  of 11 

and  Anabaptists 12 

churches  of,  becoming   Bap- 
tist.      63 

work  of,  helpful  to  Baptists...  101 
Six  Principle :  Baptist  churches  of  80 
Smith,  Rev.  Hezekiah :  Sketch  of.    50 

preaching  of. 66,  67 

as  student 70 

eminent  services  of. 97 

died 98 

Sunday-schools :  Movement  for,  in 

New  England. 241 

in  Boston 242 

first  one  in  Mass 244 

in  Maine -.247-249 


INDEX. 


317 


PAGE 

Sunday-schools  :    In  New  Hamp- 
shire  249-252 

in  Vermont 252-255 

in  Massachusetts 255-258 

in  Rhode  Island 259-261 

in  Conn 261-264 

Temple,  Tremont 298-301 

Theological  Institutions:  Newton 

180-188 
other  of  these. 188-190 

Unions,  Social:  Organized 291,292 

multiplied  „ 293 

Vermont :  Baptist  churches  organ- 
ized in 68 

Baptists  coming  into 92 

first  Association  formed  in 93 

number  of  Baptist  churches  in    93 

persecution  of  Baptists  in 130 

Baptist  churches  in 209-212 


PAGE 

Vermont:  Sunday-schools  in. ..252-255 

Warren  Association:  Formed...  81,82 
represented  in    the   Kevolu- 

tion 84 

appealed  to  for  New  Hamp- 
shire     89 

considerin  g  grievances 1 08-1 20 

Minutes  of,  referred  to 108, 109 

addressed  by  Backus 114 

considering  Cambridge  affairs  120 

Wayland,  Rev.  F.,  d.  d 171, 172 

discussing  slavery... 291 

Whitefield:  Vast  audiences  of. 281 

preaching  o£- « 281 

Winthrop,  Got.  :  Quotations  from    17 

testimony  of.. 18 

saying  from 25 

Women:  Work  of 265 

contributions  for  work  of. 280 

Yotmg  People:  Movement  of 293 


BAPTIST  HISTORY  SERIES. 


I.  A  History  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England. 
By  Rev.  Henry  S.  Burrage,  D.  D. 

II.  A   History  of  the  Baptists   in  the  Middle 
States. 
By  Henry  C.  Yedder. 

III.  A  History  of  the  Baptists  in   the  Western 

States  East  of  the  Mississippi. 
By  Rev.  J.  A.  Smith,  D.  D. 

IV.  A  History  of  the  Baptists  in  the  Southern 

States  East  of  the  Mississippi. 


V.  A  History  of  the    Baptists   in  the   Trans- 
Mississippi  States. 
By  Lemuel  Moss,  D.  D. 

These  volumes  will  he  uniform  in  style  and  price, 
12mo,  320  pp.   Price,  fl.25.   Price  for  the  set,  $6.26. 


The  volumes  will  be  independent,  each  being 
complete  in  itself,  with  index,  etc.,  while  at  the 
same  time  together  they  will,  it  is  expected,  form 
a  complete  history  of  the  denomination  down  to 
the  present  time. 


319 


A^hts^tSy  oUhe  Baptists  m  New 


Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Ubrary 


1012  00020  6344 


